Overview
- The hull entered the water on November 7, briefly rocked heavily, then stabilized and was towed through Pasaia bay to the port’s industrial dock to begin months of outfitting.
- Technicians loaded roughly 50,000 kilograms of stone as ballast, timed the descent for high tide, and kept eight crew inside the vessel to manage the critical phase of the maneuver.
- The ceremony replaced champagne with cider poured over the hull by Caroline Marchand and featured songs, horns, torchlight and Mi'kmaq rituals before the tow across the bay.
- Lehendakari Imanol Pradales called the project a national endeavor, and Canadian envoy Stéphane Dion and Mi'kmaq leader Stephen Augustin affirmed the cross-Atlantic partnership.
- Albaola will rig masts, sails and period equipment in port, with organizers planning a transatlantic voyage to Red Bay in summer 2027 before operating the ship as a museum.