The Star of India, the world’s oldest iron-hulled merchant ship still afloat, which was built in Ramsey, has returned to the waters after an overhaul in the USA.

Dubbed ’once in a decade’ by its owner, the Maritime Museum of San Diego, the work has seen the ship spend 10 days in dry dock.

While in dry dock, restoration and maintenance of The Star included hull hydro-blasting, and application of anti-fouling and top side paint.

The ship, originally called Euterpe, was built in Ramsey by Gibson, McDonald & Arnold for the Indian jute trade of Wakefield Nash & Company of Liverpool. She was launched on November 14, 1863, and still sails at least once a year.

Data on visitors and school groups show Star of India attracts more visitors than any other ship in the Maritime Museum’s current collection.

Restored by the museum in 1951, her popularity was demonstrated by the groups of people who lined the waterway to see her leave dry dock and return to her berth.

President of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, Raymond Ashley, said: ’Star of India, a ship that is arguably the oldest active sailing ship in the world, is a symbol of our city and region.

’In a given year, as many as two million people view her at her bayside location in downtown San Diego and thousands of school-age children participate in overnight living history programmes.’

After the restoration works were complete, the Star of India was towed from the dry dock to her berth at 11pm on Friday, allowing the museum to show off her masts which were all lit up.

More information on the Star of India can be found at the museum’s website https://sdmaritime.org/visit/the-ships/star-of-india/