Tall ships from around the world paraded up the North Sea Canal into Amsterdam on Wednesday, with crews from Peru, Uruguay, Germany and France waving from their decks as crowds cheered along the banks.

The spectacle launched Amsterdam's five-day maritime festival, a celebration of ships, sailors and the city's seafaring past that is expected to draw between 2.3 and 2.5 million visitors.

The Sail-in Parade is the most challenging moment of the festival, harbour master Milembe Mateyo told AFP.

"There's a lot of press, there are an extreme amount of boats who want to see it, a lot of people in high places who want to be there, so that is the most (challenging)," she said.

"Once that is safely over, I can finally sleep and enjoy the rest of the festival."

The Sail Amsterdam festival -- no

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