Nao Victoria to dock on Saipan

A ship that set sail from Seville, Spain on Oct. 12 last year will be making a short stop on the port of Saipan for maintenance purposes.

The Nao Victoria, 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, is expected to arrive on Saipan on April 7 or 8.

The Nao Victoria has sailed nearly around the world, and has made several international stops in Colombia, Panama, and Honolulu, Hawaii where several military authorities were able to visit her. She has made a stopover in Majuro for maintenance purposes as well.

The Nao Victoria will be heading to the Expo Aichi 2005 Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan, which opened on March 25, 2005 until Sept. 25, 2005.

The country of Spain will be participating in this world expo for the first time since it was not present at the Expo Osaka in 1970.

The Spanish Pavilion, which is managed by the Sociedad Estatal para Exposiciones Internacionales, will be next to the other European nations. The theme for the Spanish Pavilion is “Sharing the Art of Life.” The theme is intended to tighten the links between the Japanese and Spanish people by fostering a greater understanding of today’s Spain. They also aim to spread the knowledge of the Spanish culture and to commemorate the first circumnavigation of the globe by Spanish explorer, Juan Sebastian Elcano.

Within the framework of the Pavilion’s cultural activities, the SEEI hopes to see the Nao Victoria Espana project operate as a temporary traveling embassy during its presence at the expo. This great adventure will unite two nations and two cultures. The Nao Victoria 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 completion of the expo, it will set sail through the Philippines, China Sea, Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

The chief of the expedition, Ignacio Fernandez Vial, has left the Nao Victoria in Hawaii and he 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 Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Victoria Benavente.

The Northern Mariana Islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota are a chain of low coral and volcanic islands in the West Pacific, offering a friendly, fun and fantastic vacation in paradise. They are an excellent destination for families, adventure and sports-minded travelers, as well as business people looking for a tropical stopover when traveling between Asia and North America, and adventurous travelers looking for new travel discoveries. The Mariana Islands, three hours away from most cities in Japan, are served from Japan by Continental, Northwest, and Japan Airlines. For more information on the Mariana Islands, visit www.mymarianas.com