In the centre of the painting a large East Indiaman, in starboard-broadside view, is shown leaving a port. She flies the flags of the Dutch East India Company on her stern and foremast which also carries its pennant. Detailed attention has been paid to the rigging and figures can be seen on the deck as she fires a salute. On the left two figures on a quay point towards the ship in a gesture of farewell. This may also imply that they have a financial interest in the ship's progress. Behind the East Indiaman on the left is another large ship in the background, as well as two more on the right in the distance. There is a small fishing boat in the far right of the painting. In the far distance to the right, part of a coastline with the contours of a church are visible, which implies that they are in the Zuider Zee. The arrangement of the ships behind each other into the distance is reminiscent of the work of Simon de Vlieger.

Hendrick Staets was known to have worked in Leiden, and was a painter of finely crafted marine pictures in the Dutch realist manner. He was chiefly interested in the fashionable art of depicting storm-tossed ships off rocky coasts, but few biographical details about him are known. He was rediscovered in the 1950s and stylistically he resembles Jan Porcellis, Pieter Mulier, Simon de Vlieger and Jacob Bellevois. Although little survives which is identifiable as being by him, Leiden inventories indicate that he was a highly prolific artist. The painting is signed 'J. P. F.' but is attributed to Hendrick Staets.