Warships, tall ships, and vessels from more than 20 nations have begun arriving in New York Harbor for the International Naval Review 250, a flotilla marking America’s 250th birthday. Organizers say it will be the largest parade of sails in history, according to the New York Post.
Two ships are docked in the area. The Elissa, a 149-year-old Class A tall ship and the oldest vessel in the parade, is at Pier 2 in Brooklyn. America 2.0, a Class B vessel, is moored at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan.
The USS Arlington, an Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship and one of three U.S. Navy vessels named to commemorate the September 11 attacks, arrived in the harbor Tuesday to a ceremonial water cannon salute. Fleet Week, which normally takes place around Memorial Day, was rescheduled to the July 4 window for this event.
Nearly 30 naval vessels are expected to anchor in the Hudson River, with most arriving Wednesday. The U.S. is sending ten ships from its fleet. Among them is the USS Nimitz, the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the American fleet and the lead ship of her class. The Nimitz is scheduled to retire in 2027 and will arrive carrying an MQ-25 Stingray drone and four F/A-18E Super Hornets, according to the Aviationist, as reported by the Post.
Other vessels in the area include the Netherlands’ Oosterschelde, which sailed through the harbor Tuesday before docking in the Hudson River off Westchester, Monaco’s Class B ship Tuiga at Jersey City, and the British Virgin Islands’ STV Vela at Sandy Hook.
By Saturday, when the parade of sails takes place, roughly 80 vessels are expected to have assembled in the harbor, representing Argentina, France, Peru, and more than 17 other countries. About 15,000 international sailors will come ashore during the event, the Post reported.
Mexico will not participate. Organizers told the Post that “logistics and timing” prevented the Cuauhtémoc from participating, more than a year after the Mexican naval training ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge in an accident that killed two of its cadets.
