The New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Portuguese Lusophone-World Lecture Series and the Azorean Maritime Heritage Society are delighted to co-present a special program celebrating the visit of the iconic Portuguese Tall Ship NRP Sagres to New Bedford Harbor as part of its transatlantic journey in advance of America’s 250th anniversary commemorations.

The 292-foot, three-masted barque serves as a training vessel for future officers of the Portuguese Navy and as a floating ambassador of Portugal abroad. Instantly recognizable by her bright white hull and red crosses of the Order of Christ, Sagres embodies a living tradition of maritime heritage, diplomacy, and international exchange.

Her 2026 visit to New Bedford follows appearances in major international celebrations including Sail 4th 250 in New York Harbor and Sail 250 Boston.

This special program will explore the ship’s remarkable history, mission, and enduring global significance, as well as the deep maritime ties between Portugal and New Bedford.

Program Schedule

3:30 PM – Doors Open
Guests arrive and seated in the Cook Memorial Theater

4:00 PM – Welcome Remarks, Followed by Featured Talk
The visual presentation will accompany the talk by Lt. Commander António Manuel Maurício Camilo, Commander of NRP Sagres, highlighting the vessel’s voyages, naval training mission, and role as a cultural ambassador of Portugal. Lt. Commander Camilo’s talk will be followed by brief remarks by Francisco António Duarte Lopes, Ambassador of Portugal in Washington. A career diplomat, he has served as permanent representative of Portugal to the United Nations (UN) since 2017.

4:45 PM – Audience Q&A

5:00–6:00 PM – Reception
Brief cocktail reception in the Jacobs Family Gallery with light refreshments and a cash bar.

About NRP Sagres

NRP Sagres is a three-masted steel barque and school ship of the Portuguese Navy, in service since 1961 and sometimes referred to as Sagres III. Built in 1937 in Hamburg as Albert Leo Schlageter, the vessel has served under multiple flags—including Germany, the United States, and Brazil—before being acquired by Portugal in 1961 and renamed Sagres.

She carries 22 sails across three masts, with a total sail area of approximately 2,000 square meters and a top speed of up to 17 knots under sail. Her commanding mast rises 42 meters above deck, and she spans 89 meters in length.

Following decades of international service, including ocean-going training voyages, wartime service, and postwar transfers, Sagres became a symbol of Portuguese maritime identity and naval training excellence. Notably, she completed global circumnavigation in 2010, sailing approximately 35,000 miles as part of international commemorative voyages and diplomatic missions.

Today, Sagres continues to serve as both a training vessel for Portuguese Naval cadets and a cultural ambassador of Portugal, participating in major international maritime events around the world.