Operations Manager Kari Dahl and Sales and Marketing Manager Tomine Hjemdahl had the pleasure of receiving the award on January 24. Thank you very much for the nomination and for allowing us to receive this great award.

We attended the Sail Training International conference to get to know more ships and ports, so that we can create the best sailing experience for our customers and Tall Ships races. At the conference we listened to many good lectures, including from Kristiansand Municipality who gave a review of Tall Ships Races in Kristiansand Port 2025.

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The speech given to us was as follows (translated into Norwegian):

Sailing Training Organization of the Year – Large Ships: The Foundation The Ship Sørlandet , Norway

This year, the Sail Training Organisation of the Year – Large Vessel award goes to a ship where cultural heritage, education, maritime training and community meet.

This ship serves as a living classroom, welcoming 72 students from around the world each year to live and study at sea. The program integrates academic curriculum with real seafaring. To date, more than 500 students have completed the A+ World Academy program, and over 10,000 trainees has sailed on board.

Equally notable is the ship’s commitment to community service. Each year, students participate in projects around the world that support the communities they visit – from helping food banks, to creating income-generating art, to growing food, or bringing joy to people with dementia. These encounters create genuine mutual impact and shape compassionate leaders while contributing locally.

I år er vi stolte av å hedre verdens eldste fullrigger som fortsatt er i drift: Stiftelsen Fullriggeren Sørlandet, fra Norge.

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Original speech in English:

Sail Training Organization of the Year – Large Vessel: The Foundation The Ship Sørlandet , Norway

This year, the Sail Training Organization of the Year – Large Vessel award goes to a ship where heritage, education, maritime training and community come together.

This ship operates as a living classroom, welcoming 72 students from around the world to live and study at sea each year. This program integrates the academic curriculum alongside authentic seamanship. To date, more than 500 graduates have completed the A+ World Academy programme, and over 10,000 trainees have sailed aboard.

Something equally remarkable is the ship's commitment to community engagement. Each year, students engage in projects all over the world that support the communities they visit, from assisting food banks, to creating income-generating art, to planting food, or bringing joy to dementia patients. These encounters promote a genuine two-way impact, shaping compassionate leaders whilst contributing locally.

This year, we are proud to honor the world's oldest fully rigged ship still sailing, Stiftelsen The Ship Sørlandet , from Norway.

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