It is a pleasure for the Canada-Spain Chamber of Commerce to announce the incorporation as a partner of ALBAOLA, based in Pasaia, Guipúzcoa, Basque Country, Spain.
The Chamber is very proud to have a unique company that includes such a special history that unites Canada and Spain.
The history
Canada found in 1978 the remains of the Nao San Juan that sank in 1565 in Red Bay, Labrador, Canada, and after years of documenting the wreck, they shared the archive with Spain. Thus began a collaboration that continues today with Parks Canada. What there is is the best documented and oldest wreck of a maritime merchant ship. A collaboration defined as “A shared heritage”.
“Located at the entrance to the historic whaling port of Pasaia, 3 km from the center of San Sebastián, the Albaola Basque Maritime Factory is a museum-shipyard where heritage wooden boats are built in front of the public using traditional techniques and tools.
The visitor will be able to observe the craftsmanship of the riverside carpenters and see in its last phase of the construction process how the replica of the historic San Juan whaler, almost 30 meters long, built in the same port, rises before your eyes. de Pasaia and sunk in 1565 off the coast of Labrador, Canada. The construction of this ship is sponsored by UNESCO.
Albaola is a space of international renown, where its activity makes each visit always unique and different”.
The Chamber will offer its support in a greater dissemination of this story, which is an excellent example of collaboration between both countries and uniting their history of more than 500 years of trade with the Basque whalers in Canada.
Webinars, information sessions and the organization of an exhibition on Albaola and the San Juan project are planned. Also being able to celebrate when the ship is launched next year, and when the same trip is made from San Juan to Red Bay and to various parts of Canada that is planned for 2024.
We leave you some informative links about this extraordinary story:
Information about the Albaola museum
Albaola, Maritime Factory
16th century Basques boat construction underway and a voyage to N.L. in the future