“Armenia” sailing yacht is today setting out for world cruise from Spanish Valensia port. It is planned to organize there a ceremony with the participation of RA Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan, Valensia Mayor and district governors, as well as Armenian Consul in Spain Mher Badalyan, British House of Lords member, Baroness Caroline Cocks, Armenian community representatives and others.
Over the recent six months, the ship crew was engaged in the re-equipment of the yacht built in 1991.
Crew members are Zori Balayan (Expedition Head), Samvel Karapetyan (captain), Armen Nazaryan (senior assistant), Hayk Badalyan (senior watch), Moushegh Barseghyan (boatswain), Samvel Sargsyan (cook and radio engineer) and Vahagn Matevosyan (senior steersman).
Yacht itinerary is planned as follows: Gibraltar, Atlantic Ocean, Barbados Island, Panama Channel, Pacific Ocean, North America, then back to Panama, Atlantic Ocean, South America, C. Horn, Pacific Ocean, New Zealand, Australia, Indian Ocean, Indonesian Islands, Singapore, Hindustan Peninsula, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Suez Channel and Mediterranean Sea. The official terminal is Beyrut port, with Valensia being a de jure terminal.
“Armenia” will stop in some mainland ports having large Armenian communities, Expedition Head Zori Balayan told a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent. “No single penny was paid from State Budget for the acquisition and re-equipment of the boat,” he noted.
