The world's largest active wooden sailing ship has been spotted passing through Kent.

Götheborg of Sweden sailed down the River Thames Gravesend as part of a tour of Europe.

The vessel is a full-sized replica of the original 18th centenary ship that was owned by the Swedish East India Company which sank outside Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1745.

The Swedish Ship Götheborg was launched in 1738 and went through three voyages to China before its wrecking outside the Fortress of Älvsborg.

In March of 1743, she left for her third journey and after a few diversions reached the Chinese coast a year later.

On September 12, 1745, the boat reached Vinga, Gothenburg, on its return journey and sailed into underwater rocks of Knippla Börö where it remained stranded as water started to leak in.

Salvage operations were carried out in the years that followed but by the early 20th century the wreck was left.

Although there were no original drawings, Götheborg of Sweden has been built as accurately as possible to the 18th centenary ship while meeting today's safety requirements for ocean-going vessels.

It is owned by Svenska Ostindiska Companiet (SOIC) and sailed past Gravesend on Friday between 4.30pm and 5pm. Before then she was moored at South Dock Quay in Canary Wharf, London, between August 8 and 12.

This year she is sailing through Europe and will then continue to Asia in 2023 in a two-year long expedition to promote trade relations in the two continents.

In September 2023, the ship will reach the expedition’s end destination Shanghai.