The historic ship "Real Fernando" sails the Guadalquivir again after two centuries

The port of Seville has welcomed the arrival of the ship "Real Fernando", a recreation of the first steamship built in Spain in 1817.

Flying the Spanish flag, the ship has already arrived at the Muelle de las Delicias, where preparations are being finalized before its launch in the coming weeks as a new cultural and tourist attraction for the city.

The original ship was a pioneer and marked a turning point in navigation on the Guadalquivir, connecting Seville with Sanlúcar and Cádiz and placing the port of Seville at the forefront of naval technology of its time.

The construction of this replica has been a complex project that required more than 30 months of work. It has been led by the Fundación Nao Victoria and based on thorough historical research conducted by Ignacio Fernández Vial, who has meticulously recovered its original design.

From this work, naval engineering was developed by the firm Ghenova, responsible for transforming the research into technical designs and 3D models to define the final structure of the ship.

The construction has taken place in Punta Umbría, using an innovative technique that combines a high-strength fiberglass hull with a wooden coating in its structure and decks.

Unlike the original, which operated on coal, this recreation is fully electric, allowing for clean and silent navigation on the Guadalquivir. It still maintains its classic aesthetic with side paddle wheels.

With a capacity for 150 passengers, it will feature spaces for events, conferences, and tourist visits, functioning as a “floating museum” on the river that saw it born centuries ago.

Photo: Fundación Nao Victoria