class

Belem

History

She was originally a cargo ship, transporting sugar from the West Indies, cocoa, and coffee from Brazil and French Guiana to Nantes, France. In 1922 she became the property of the beer baron Sir Arthur Ernest Guinness, who renamed her the Fantôme II. They sailed the seven seas in making a travel round the world via the Panama and Suez Canals including a visit to Spitsbergen. During her approach to Yokohama harbour while sailing the Pacific Ocean the barque managed to escape another catastrophe - an earthquake which destroyed the harbour and parts of Yokohama city. In 1951 she was sold to the Venezian count Vittorio Cini, . She was rigged to a barkentine and used as a sail training ship until 1965, when she was considered too old for further use and was moored at the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice. Finally, in January 1979, she came back to her home port as the Belem under tow by a French seagoing tug, flying the French flag after 65 years. Fully restored to her original condition, she began a new career as a sail training ship.

Ship

Belem began as cargo ship in June 1896, she is the oldest still sailing ship from ‘Belle Epoque’. Before World War 1, in 1914, she is rebuilt, by the second duke of Westminster, to an luxery private yacht. They added a Victorian raling which is charasteristic for the Ship. In 1977 foundation Belem is born by a couple of French business man. They made it into a commercial Sail Training Ship.

Specifications