The Saga Future
Sharma and his 22-member Indian and Sri Lankan crew were welcomed to Vancouver by Saga Forest Carriers Senior Vice President Trond Bardsen, North America General Manager Rhoda Voth, and North America West Coast Operations Manager Clifford Faleiro, and Port of Vancouver representatives, Alastair Smith, Mike Schiller, Nick Haindl, Ken Mishler, Ron Gill, Lars Uglum and Andrew Ness.
The Saga Future is the first in a series of eight vessels to be delivered from Japan and Korea between November 2012 and 2013. The vessel is classified as an open hatch box hold that is capable of traveling worldwide and brings Saga’s fleet from 24 to 32 ships.
In addition, the vessel has the ability to use shore side electrical power while at berth, minimizing air pollution. Advanced ballast water treatment systems were installed, and all fuel tanks were protected with cofferdams toward the sea to provide extra protection against fuel spills, among other sustainable features.
“We are extremely pleased to see Saga Forest Carrier’s continued dedicated commitment to serve the break bulk industry in the form of their new ‘Future’ class vessels,” said Alastair Smith, senior director of marketing and operations at the port. “With this expansion of vessels, including its new eco-conscious design, Saga continues to be a first-class carrier in providing outstanding break bulk service to numerous shippers.”
The Saga Future was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Manufacturing in Korea and launched on June 30, 2012. The vessel is 654 feet in length and has a deadweight capacity of 55,596.4 metric tons, one of the largest of its kinds ever to dock at the Port of Vancouver. The vessel is owned by Saga Shipholding AS of Norway and operated by Saga Forest Carriers Intl. The agent for the vessel was Randy Click of ACGI Shipping.
Before docking at the Port of Vancouver, the Saga Future sailed from Yard to Kaohsiung, Taiwan and Ulsan, Korea to load steel for Vancouver BC, the Port of Vancouver and the Port of Los Angeles. The vessel will sail to Los Angeles, CA before departing the United States.
