Previous Story
Nao Victoria arrives on Saipan
|
Posted on Apr 07 2005
The Nao Victoria, a Spanish ship that has nearly sailed around the world, will be docking at the Saipan port at about 10am today for maintenance purposes.
The Marianas Visitors Authority is inviting the public to welcome the crew. The ship will be open for public viewing on Saturday, April 9, 4pm to 7pm; and Sunday, April 10, from 10am to 2pm.
Visitors are being reminded to bring a valid ID such as a driver’s license. For students under the age of 16, they should bring with them their school ID. IDs will be checked prior to boarding the ship.
The Nao Victoria set sail from Seville, Spain on Oct. 12 last year. It is a full-scale replica of one of Ferdinand Magellan’s ships, and the only one of five in the squadron to complete the first circumnavigation of the globe.
The Nao Victoria has sailed nearly around the world, and has made several international stops in Colombia, Panama, and Honolulu, Hawaii. She has also made a stopover in Majuro for maintenance purposes.
The ship is heading to the Expo Aichi 2005 Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan, which opened on March 25, 2005 until Sept. 25, 2005. Spain will be participating in this world expo for the first time since it was not present at the Expo Osaka in 1970.
According to the Sociedad Estatal para Exposiciones Internacionales, which is behind the Nao Victoria project, they hope that the project will demonstrate that it is possible to undertake great enterprises while respecting the environment and sustainable development, and to unite people as distant as those of Spain and Japan.
After the expo, the ship will sail through the Philippines, China Sea, Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
The chief of the expedition, Ignacio Fernandez Vial, left the Nao Victoria in Hawaii and will be going on board once again, as soon as the ship docks on Saipan.
“To have the Nao Victoria dock upon the port of Saipan is a significantly historic event, since it will set forth a great example of how the Spaniards were able to embark on their long voyages, and discover other lands, such as our lovely islands, which were named after Mariana, the Queen of Spain,” said MVA managing director Victoria Benavente.
