After years of sitting idle at a Croatian shipyard, the Golden Horizon is finally on the move. The massive five-masted tall ship left Split earlier this week and is due to arrive in Valletta on 25 September 2026, according to vessel-tracking data.
The 8,770-ton ship has been sold as part of a reported €110 million deal, with Croatian media pointing to a Swiss shipowner that runs a fleet of around 100 vessels. Little else is confirmed — the buyer's identity hasn't been officially announced — but a refurbishment is expected once the ship reaches Malta. Brodosplit spokesperson Josip Jurišić told local media the work would most likely involve cleaning off the marine fouling that built up during its long lay-up, and noted the ship faces no sanctions, which is what allowed it to leave the yard at all.
The Golden Horizon has had an unusual life for a ship that has barely carried passengers. It was originally ordered by Star Clippers under the name Flying Clipper and built at the Brodosplit shipyard in Croatia, but was never handed over. Instead, it was chartered to Tradewind Voyages, a startup that planned to run it as a 300-passenger sailing cruise ship from 2020. The pandemic-era venture didn't last: Tradewind ceased operations in 2022, and the ship returned to Split, where it has been laid up ever since.
For anyone who loves tall ships, this is a story worth following. The Golden Horizon is one of the largest square-rigged sailing ships afloat, and a refurb in Malta suggests someone sees a future for it in commercial service — though whether that means a return to cruise sailing or another role entirely remains to be seen.
There's also a subplot at Brodosplit: the yard is reportedly still aiming to complete the Janssonius, a 174-passenger expedition ship originally ordered by polar operator Oceanwide Expeditions. Designed as a sister to the 2019-built Hondius, it was supposed to enter service back in 2021, so its eventual delivery would be a second win for a yard with a backlog of unfinished ambitions.
If you've ever fancied a sailing-ship cruise, keep an eye on this one. Tall-ship voyages are a niche but rewarding way to travel — smaller passenger counts, plenty of deck space and the novelty of moving under sail — and a revived Golden Horizon could reopen that option for up to 300 guests. For now, though, the practical takeaway is simple: Valletta's Grand Harbour will be getting an impressive new visitor this September, and it's worth looking up if you happen to be in Malta.
