The Port of Everett on Monday welcomed the newest cargo carrier to town with a reception and harbor tour, in anticipation of the arrival from Russia Wednesday of a second vessel of the Sakhalin Shipping Co. (SASCO).
SASCO’s first ship, Selenga, left Everett fully loaded on July 18, bound for the Russian far east. The line will serve Pevek, Russia, from Everett, carrying mining equipment and supplies, among other things. Most of the line’s ships are “ice-class,” meaning they have more than the usual hull strength to navigate sea ice. This is crucial in the line’s home waters around Sakhalin Island, where SASCO carries cargo and passengers.
SASCO is the port’s fourth major carrier. The others are Eastern Car Liner (ECL), which serves Asia with so-called roll-on, roll-off (“ro-ro”) cargo like cars, trucks and heavy equipment; Far Eastern Shipping Company (FESCO), a U.S.-Russian joint venture that carries containers and vehicles; and Westwood Shipping Lines, which specializes in forest products and oversized cargo as well as containers.