Montenegro will host the grand finale of The Ocean Race Europe in the Bay of Kotor from September 15 to 21, 2025. This will be the first time the prestigious sailing competition enters the Adriatic Sea, highlighting Montenegro’s growing importance as a nautical and sustainable tourism destination.
The race, which begins in Kiel, Germany on August 10, will cover over 4,000 nautical miles. The fleet will pass through major European ports including Portsmouth (UK), Matosinhos-Porto (Portugal), Cartagena (Spain), Nice (France), and Genoa (Italy), before concluding in Tivat.
The event is expected to attract around 100,000 visitors to the Bay of Kotor during the final stage, providing a boost to Montenegro’s tourism, hospitality, and small business sectors.
Participating IMOCA offshore sailboats are advanced, carbon-fiber vessels with foiling technology that allows them to travel at double the speed of the wind. Each boat will have a five-person crew and an onboard media reporter.
In addition to the racing, teams will collect scientific data on ocean health, continuing the event’s mission to raise environmental awareness and support global marine research.
The Maritime Faculty of Kotor will contribute educational programs tied to marine conservation, and Olympic sailor Milivoj Dukić emphasized the national pride in hosting such a major event.
Organizers see this as more than a race—it’s a platform for ecological, social, and economic progress, with partnerships across host cities aimed at improving awareness of ocean sustainability.
