Hundreds of ships and boats sail into Amsterdam to mark city’s maritime history

Hundreds of tall ships sailed into the Dutch capital’s harbour for the 10th edition of Sail (Peter Dejong/AP)

Crowds packed vantage points along a major canal and took to the water themselves on Wednesday to watch a flotilla of hundreds of historic ships sail into Amsterdam at the start of a five-day festival celebrating the Dutch capital’s maritime history.

Ships from all over the world, many with their masts and rigging decorated with flags, sailed from the North Sea coastal town of IJmuiden on an hours-long journey up the North Sea Canal and into Amsterdam’s IJ waterway for Sail 2025, the first edition in a decade.