For the first time, a ship under the Maltese flag has joined the fleet at Escale à Sète, the Mediterranean’s largest maritime festival. The brigantine Florette sailed into the French port after a two-week crossing from Valletta, among more than 120 historic ships gathered to mark the 400th anniversary of the French Navy.
Built in 1921 at the Picchiotti shipyard in Viareggio, Florette is the oldest working ship registered in Malta. She began life as an engineless cargo ship carrying marble from Marina di Carrara across the Mediterranean. She has been in the Haynes family’s care for over 50 years and based in Malta for more than four decades, first registered under the Maltese flag in 1974 and returning in 2006 under the commercial yacht code with her original registration number, 0064. She now operates from Gżira, with Valletta as her home port.
“We are incredibly proud to represent the Maltese nation and fly our flag at such a significant international gathering,” said Captain Ron Haynes. “The Florette is more than just a ship; she is a living testament to centuries of seafaring tradition and our home.”
Florette carries no passengers, only voyage crew, and 14 nationalities sailed her on this crossing. After the festival closes on 6th April 2026, she continues to Castellón in Spain.
