The NINA was a Spanish caravel, a type of sailing ship, that was used by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage to the New World in 1492. The Santa Maria was the flagship of the same voyage and was the largest of the three ships. It was a nao, a type of large merchant vessel, and was the only one of the three ships to make it back to Spain. Both ships are considered to be historic ships due to their role in the discovery of the Americas.