Ship docks at Port of Vancouver for nine-month stay

FRUIT VALLEY — Military Sealife Command vessel USNS Fisher arrived at the Port of Vancouver on Dec. 12, marking the first day of an approximately nine-month stay. The 951-foot-long ship will call the port’s berths 13 and 14 its temporary home. The USNS Fisher is a large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off vehicle cargo ship, ideal for rapid loading and off-loading of Army wheeled and tracked vehicles, in addition to other outsized Army equipment, according to a news release. “For the Port of Vancouver to host the USNS Fisher for an extended period of time is an honor and shows the aptitude of the port and the capabilities of the Columbia River,” Alex Strogen, chief commercial officer of the Port of Vancouver, said in the release. Christened in 1997, the ship was named for Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher, who were philanthropists and supporters for those in the service. To learn more, visit fisherhouse.org. For more information about the USNS Fisher or the Navy’s Military Sealift Command, visit www.sealiftcommand.com.