The oldest full-rigged tall ship in the world has docked in Bermuda during a voyage that has taken in 18 countries on four continents, crossing the Atlantic Ocean three times.

The Norwegian-built SS Sorlandet dates back to 1927 and is the oldest full-rigged tall ship in the world still in operation. She cruised into Hamilton yesterday for five days of shore leave, having sailed up from the Turks & Caicos Islands. The vessel was chartered by Class Afloat, a non-profit school based in Canada that teaches senior high school and university students on-board a floating classroom.

Students started their school year in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, last August before crossing the Atlantic for the first time and reaching the Azores in October. The crew then sailed to Portugal, Spain and the north-west coast of Africa before crossing the Atlantic for a second time and heading for Central America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

During their stay here crew members will present a reading from the book ‘A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer’ as part as a global campaign to raise funds for V-Day, a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. The presentation will be made tomorrow at City Hall, starting at 12pm.

SS Sorlandet will leave Bermuda on Sunday to begin its third Atlantic crossing to France. From there it will sail to Norway where students will graduate in May.