Live: The San Juan, a scientific replica of the 16th-century Basque whaling ship

The San Juan, a scientific replica of the 16th-century Basque whaling ship, is concluding its land-based construction phase and opening its seagoing chapter—an historic milestone for international maritime heritage.

The launch will be preceded by an institutional ceremony inside Albaola Itsas Kultur Faktoria, with the presence of local and regional authorities, including the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales, and the Deputy General of Gipuzkoa, Eider Mendoza, as well as representatives of the Government of Spain and the Government of Canada, alongside collaborators from multiple disciplines who have taken part in the project.

The wreck of San Juan was found in 1978 in Red Bay (Labrador, Canada) thanks to research by historian Selma Huxley and fieldwork by the Underwater Archaeology Service of Parks Canada, led by Robert Grenier. The study and cataloguing of thousands of components made it possible to define, with precision, the hull and 16th-century construction techniques, establishing San Juan as an international reference in underwater archaeology. Albaola undertook the scientific replica after receiving Parks Canada’s detailed report.