The Port of Vancouver USA welcomed the Sanko Mermaid, commanded by Capt. Danilo Nacario of the Philippines, on its maiden voyage to the port recently.

Nacario and his 21-member crew were welcomed to Vancouver by Chris Alexander, terminal manager for Kinder-Morgan, Keith Neanover, superintendent for Kinder-Morgan; Beth Sanchez, local agent for Cascade Marine Agencies, along with port representatives Mike Schiller, Patty Boyden, Chrissy Whitters, Dawn Egbert and Debbie Taylor.  

The Sanko Mermaid was built in Japan and launched June 8, 2009. It is 623 feet in length and has a deadweight capacity of 50,757 metric tons. The crew for the vessel’s first visit to the Port of Vancouver USA were from the Philippines. The vessel is owned by Sanko Steamship Company and operated by Sanko Vancouver BC. Cascade Marine Agencies is the agent for the company.

The ship loaded 12,000 metric tons of bentonite clay and 56 concrete panels while in port. Sanko Steamship Company has approximately 180 ships comprising 13.2 million deadweight tons.

After leaving Vancouver, the vessel sailed to Portland, then Singapore, and on to Saudi Arabia, its final destination to discharge cargo.