A replica of the Nao Victoria, the first Spanish ship to circumnavigate the globe, arrived in Hong Kong Tuesday and will dock at Ocean Terminal till Sunday to allow ship lovers to visit the ship for free.

The Nao Victoria was one of the five ships of famous explorer Ferdin and Magellan when he set sail from the Spanish port of Seville to circumnavigate the globe in 1519. The fleet crossed the Atlantic, reached the coast of South America, and then sailed west until Magellan reached the Philippines where he was slain.

All the other four vessels were either destroyed or robbed. The Nao Victoria was the sole ship, commanded by Spaniard Elcano, returned to Spain in 1522 after crossing the Indian Ocean, proving that the world is round.

To commemorate the trip of the first ship, the original Nao Victoria, to circumnavigate the world and to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the America, Spain built a replica of the Nao Victoria at the 1992 EXPO Seville based on the detailed analysis of old documents, drawings and archaeological remains.

Measured 27 meters in length, 3.5 meters in width and 22 meters in height, the replica of the Nao Victoria can accommodate a crew of 18 as well as 50 passengers.

The replica started its round the world journey in 2004 and has already visited the Canary Islands (Spain), Colombia, Panama, Hawaii, Japan and Shanghai before arriving in Hong Kong. The next ports of call for the replica will be Singapore and other destinations before returning to Spain.

The entire journey of the replica of the Nao Victoria is done by using the 16th century equipment and wind power.

Sources said the vessel will make a special stop call in China, country of the future Universal Exhibition at Shanghai in 2010 where Spain will have its own pavilion.

(Xinhua News Agency October 26, 2005)