Stad Amsterdam to Visit

The ship Stad Amsterdam, a replica of an 1854 sailing clipper, will visit Halifax Friday, May 4, to Sunday, May 6. It will be open to the public Saturday, May 5, between noon and 4 p.m., courtesy of the Stad Amsterdam and Waterfront Development Corporation Limited.

Built at the Amsterdam Maritime Museum, the Stad Amsterdam was completed in July 2000 in time to participate in Sail 2000 Amsterdam, a Tall Ships event. This traditional clipper ship is 78 metres long and carries a crew of 17. The ship is a replica of the original clipper Amsterdam, one of the many super-fast clipper ships delivering cargo all round the world in the 19th century. These ships could reach speeds of 17 knots, (about 30 kilometres an hour). The word clipper comes from the phrase "to clip along," meaning to run quickly.

The City of Amsterdam and world-wide employment agency Randstad decided in 1995 to build a completely new ship as a work experience project. The ship symbolizes the international aspirations of both organizations. For the city, it is a flagship, communicating the historical, cultural, social and economic importance of Amsterdam and the Netherlands to the world. For Randstad, the Stad Amsterdam conveys the company''s international approach, its sporting ambitions, its success and its global operation.

The Stad Amsterdam will be berthed at Tall Ships Quay, a new facility in Halifax completed in November 1999. The quay offers over 400 feet of berthing space and connects the Harbourwalk from Casino Nova Scotia to Pier 21.

More information on the clipper Stad Amsterdam can be found on its Web site, at www.stadamsterdam.nl .