Libertad

[shipstamps]

To commemorate "Navy Day" on June 15th 1968, the Argentine Post Office issued a 20 pesos stamp depicting the Libertad, training frigate of the Argentine Navy. The Libertad was built at the shipyard of Rio Santiago, Argentina, and is the largest sailing ship afloat at the present time. Rigged as a frigate, she has an overall sail area of 2,652 sq. metres, a displacement of 3,675 tons, an overall length of 103 metres, beam of 13.80 metres, and has two Sulzer oil engines of 1,200 h.p. each.
The frigate has completed five round cruises taking midshipmen cadets of the Argentine Naval College on their last training course. The Libertad made a record voyage for sailing ships on her fourth voyage with cadets when in 1966, under command of the then Capt. Ricardo Guillermo Franke, she crossed the North Atlantic, totally under sail, in six days, 21 hours, from Cape Race to Dursey Island, Ireland, a distance of 1,741.4 miles, continued up to the crossing of the Dublin-Liverpool line, sailing of 2,058.6 miles in eight days, 12.5 hours. In 1966 the Libertad was awarded the Boston Teapot Trophy by the Sail Training Association for her successful performance in the 124 Hours at Sea competition.
The stamp depicts the Libertad on her record North Atlantic crossing, after a painting by the renowned Argentine marine artist Emilio Biggeri, who has designed a number of other ship stamps. The name Libertad has always been borne by a unit of the Argentine Navy. The present vessel was laid down in 1954, and launched in 1956, but was not ready for her maiden voyage until 1963. Then, under command of Capt. H. A. Ferrari, she visited 12 ports in 11 countries, during a voyage of 169 days, carrying a crew of 320, including 49 cadets and 5 invited cadets from other navies.
Sea Breezes 12/68

Argentina SG1224

[aukepalmhof]

Bhutan 1986 50ch sg678? (wrongly given on stamp as MIRCEA)
Nevis 1986 $1 sg 448, scott 512
2012 Was she seized and held in the Ghanaian port of Tema under the terms of a court order obtained by NML Capital Ltd who have indicated that they will not release the ship until Argentina repays money owned to the Hedge fund since 2002 when Argentina defaulted on its depts.. The Ghanian courts have backed the bondholders and have also refused permission for the ship to be refueled. Consequently, on 20 October 2012 the Argentinean Government announced the immediate evacuation of about 300 crew from LIBERTAD thereby leaving just the captain and a few officers and men to look after the ship.

Marine News 2012/723

In the meantime she was released and sailed back to Argentina.

Ecuador 2014 $0.75 sg?, scott?
Niger 1998 875F sg?, scott?
Togo 2015 950F sg?, scott?
Mozambique 2019 300MT sgMS?, scott? (The tall ship in the margin is the MIR.)