Replica of Columbus’ Santa Maria docks in Puerto Rico

A replica of the Santa Maria, one of the three vessels that made up Christopher Columbus’ 1492 expedition, docked Tuesday in San Juan on its first voyage outside Spanish waters since it was launched in March.

The replica, built last year to mark the 525th anniversary of the expedition, set sail Nov. 26 from San Sebastian de La Gomera in the Canary Islands.

The boat, which will remain in the Puerto Rican capital until the end of January, has a crew of 17 men and women and weighs 200 tons.

On leaving San Juan, the ship will sail on to several ports on the east coast of the United States.

The ship was built in Punta Umbria, in the southwestern Spanish province of Huelva, by the Nao Victoria Foundation. And the replica Santa Maria has been become a seaborne ambassador for the area and its historic ties to the 1492 expedition.

Spain’s Nao Victoria Foundation is an institution specialized in promoting cultural events through its historic ships.

Two of its best-known vessels, Nao Victoria and El Galeon, have made traveled to ports around the world.