Between April 26 and May 2, 05 the training ship Mircea will participate in the International Maritime Festival Marmaris 2005 for the celebration of Turkish Navy Day organized under the high patronage of the President of the Republic of Turkey.

On this occasion, the Romanian sailors will present an exhibition displaying Romanian naval traditions and will participate in competitions of oars, knots and draw of cables. Navies from 15 countries are invited to participate in this Festival.

Their presence in this Festival is part of the training voyage Mircea is doing between April 21 and May 6, 05 in Marmaris and Aegean Seas.

The crew is comprised of 100 members from whom 25 are cadets (boys and girls) from the Navy Academy Mircea cel Batran and the School of Military Foremen of the Navy.
The ceremony organized for the departure of the ship Mircea' will be Thursday, April 21, 05 at 10.00 hours at the military berth in Constanta Harbour.

The training ship Mircea was built in 1938 at Blohm und Voss shipyard, Germany and entered the Royal Romanian Navy on May 17, 1939. During the 66 years of service the ship made training voyages in international waters with students and pupils from the Romanian navy schools.

Mircea crossed the Atlantic in 1976 to participate in the Independence bicentennial of the United States of America. In 2004 it participated in the international nautical competition Tall Ships challenge 2004 on the US Eastern Coast and Canada where it placed fifth in the Youth category and the second in the Charleston-Delaware Bay race.

MoND Press Office