The Monaco-headquartered tall ship sailing cruise line Star Clippers has started building its fourth square rigger, the company’s biggest and most ambitious project to date.

The five-masted barque will be built by Croatia’s Brodosplit Shipyard, and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2017. This is Star Clippers’ first newbuilding project since the launch of the 4,425gt royal Clipper in July 2000.

The new 8,770gt vessel, yet to be named, will be able to accommodate 300 passengers and will be powered by more than 6,350 square metres of sails. The flagship royal Clipper is modelled on the German sailing ship Preussen and the new member of the fleet will be a near-replica of the France II, commissioned in 1911 and the largest square rigger ever built.