Port of Vancouver USA welcomes Sanko Mineral on maiden voyage

VANCOUVER, Wash.-Port of Vancouver USA welcomed the M/V Sanko Mineral, commanded by Capt. Yoshito Takesako of Japan, on its maiden voyage to the port on July 8, 2008.

Takesako and the 23-member crew were welcomed to Vancouver by Yoshikatsu Yonezawa, port captain and Hamunaga, manager of business superintendent section from The Sanko Steamship Company, Ltd; Brad Fisk, vice president of Cascade Marine Agencies, Ltd.; Chris Alexander, terminal manager for Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals and Keith Neanover, superintendent for Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals, along with port representatives Mike Schiller, Christine Kussman, and Kathy Holtby. 

The Sanko Mineral was built in Japan at the Oshima Shipyard and launched in June 2008. It is nearly 624 feet in length, has deadweight of 50,757 tons, has eight holds and hatches and four 40-metric ton cranes. The crew for the vessel’s first visit to the Port of Vancouver USA, was from Japan and the Philippines.

The vessel loaded approximately 12,000 metric tons of Bentonite Performance Minerals’ bentonite clay at Port of Vancouver’s Terminal 2, stevedored by Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals.

The Sanko Mineral is owned by The Sanko Steamship Company, Ltd., and operated by Sanko Steamship Company. Sanko Steamship Company is represented locally by Cascade Marine Agencies, Ltd. The M/V Sanko Mineral is the first in the new “M” series of vessels to be delivered from Japan.

After leaving the Port of Vancouver USA, the vessel sailed to Portland, Ore., to load approximately 28,000 tons of soda ash. The cargos are ultimately destined for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

At A Glance

Who: Sanko Mineral
What: Maiden Voyage to Port of Vancouver USA
When: Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Quick Facts: Port of Vancouver USA welcomed the Sanko
Mineral on its maiden voyage.

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The Port of Vancouver, USA, created by Clark County taxpayers in 1912, is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast. Its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a dependable labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community.

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