The Sailing Training Ship "Sagres" fundamental Mission is to allow to the successive generations of Navy Officers, a profound contact with life at sea, by the yearly training cruises effectuated.
S.T.S "Sagres" has another principal Mission: to represent the Portuguese Navy and Portugal, visiting with some frequency many foreign countries, not only in sequence of the yearly training cruises; but also in sequence of great foreign commemorations; and in direct support to the diplomatic actions of Portuguese authorities, at the time of Portuguese Governors official visits to other countries.
Otherwise, the Sailing training Ship "Sagres" Naval presence at foreign ports has also a character of non official representation of the state, and the experience gain by the Portuguese Navy in this type of Missions has given a decisive contribution to a continuous and desirable success.
Receptions on board, compliments visits, and many other activities are organized in strait cooperation with the foreign affairs ministry, and with the support of the local diplomatic missions and naval authorities of the foreign visited ports. The Ship is also open to e public visits at all visited ports, and it is distributed information about the Ship?s history and characteristics.
When planning the foreign ports to be visited, there is always the concern to choose ports with a strong influence and presence of Portuguese Communities. Experience has confirm the value of this option, by the proud and patriotic feelings shown by the Portuguese Communities all over the world.
Only financial reasons had prevent the satisfaction of many of the invitations that "Sagres" has received to represent the Portuguese Navy and the Portuguese Nation all over the five continents.