Northern Mariana Islands News

Key commercial ports of Guam, Rota, and Saipan have been reopened in the wake of Typhoon Bolaven, the U.S. Coast Guard said."This decision, effective at noon on Oct. 11, 2023, follows meticulous assessments conducted by our dedicated crews and trusted partners." the Coast guard said.The Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) has downgraded the Port Heavy Weather Condition to WHISKEY, signifying the ports' readiness to resume operations from a regulatory and navigation safety standpoint.Teams…

French, Canadian, and U.S. Forces, along with local responders, successfully conducted a search and rescue operation to save the operator and passengers of a distressed vessel off the coast of Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, on July 10.All 11 people from the center console fishing vessel are now safely in Rota.At 5:05 p.m. on July 10, Watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam's Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam received a distress from the operator of the 21-foot vessel Full 20 Horizon…

With the rise of China and her global ambitions, the military importance of Guam in the Indo-Pacific theater has become apparent. The force levels on the island had drawn down from a peak of about 26,000 at the height of the Vietnam War to a tenth of that—just 2,500 people in the early 2000s. Today, that's changing. Guam's defense posture is growing.Guam's proximity to major population centers in East Asia underscores its strategic importance. The island is just 1,400 miles from Tokyo, Manilla or Port Moresby. All of the armed services have a presence on Guam.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Thursday announced the designation of six new Marine Highway Projects and a new Marine Highway Route as part of the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP). The AMHP encourages the use of America’s navigable waterways for the movement of freight and people as an alternative to land-based transportation. Since its inception, the AMHP has designated 46 Marine Highway Projects. A designation makes projects on Marine Highway Routes eligible for grants when AMHP funding is available.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday commissioned three new Fast Response Cutters at a ceremony presided over by Adm. Karl Schultz, the Coast Guard’s commandant.The Coast Guard Cutters Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139), Oliver Henry (WPC 1140)  and Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) were commissioned during what the USCG said was a rare triple-commissioning ceremony at the new homeport at Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam. Guam is an unincorporated territory of the United States in the North Pacific Ocean.Named after Coast Guard enlisted heroes…

Singapore-based shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL) will pay $3 million in fines after pleading guilty to felony dumping violations in Hagatna, Guam.The vessel operating company and two engineers were sentenced for illegally discharging oil and for maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharges of oily bilge water from the containership Kota Harum in 2019. PIL, chief engineer Maung Maung Soe, and second engineer Peng Luo Hai admitted that oily bilge water was illegally dumped from the Kota Harum directly into the ocean and into Apra Harbor, Guam without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment.

The U.S. Navy uses unmanned and robotic underwater vehicles for a multitude of functions, including environmental sensing, mine hunting, and salvage. The Navy plans to evolve an unmanned systems operating concept that is platform agnostic and capable of operating in highly complex contested environments with minimal operator interaction.The most recent edition of the Navy’s Unmanned Systems (UxS) Roadmap was issued in 2018, and a new version is expected in the near future. The 2018 document states that UxS will operate in every domain…

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Washington Island (WPB 1331), a 110-foot Island Class patrol boat, was decommissioned after nearly 30 years of service as part of recapitalization efforts during a ceremony at Naval Base Guam, Wednesday.Rear Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, commander, Coast Guard 14th District presided over the ceremony. Washington's years of service included numerous law enforcement cases, safety and security enforcement patrols, dignitary and Naval security operations, and a…

National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) said that U.S. territories need the Offshore Wind for Territories Act.The U.S. has five permanently inhabited 'Territories' in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands which are directly overseen by the United States Federal Government.NOIA President Randall Luthi issued this statement: “The House passage of H.R. 6665 is welcome news for many Americans this holiday season. Too often, Americans in the U.S. territories are our forgotten citizens."The Offshore Wind for Territories Act empowers U.S. territories such as Guam and Puerto Rico to tap their offshore resources and strengthen their energy security…

Preference given to fleets in areas facing air quality challenges. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of grant funding to modernize the nation’s diesel fleet by retrofitting or replacing vehicles with cleaner, more efficient diesel engines. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $40 million in Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA) grant funding to eligible applicants, subject to the availability of funds. “These grants will incentivize improvements to aging diesel fleets and improve air quality throughout the country,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Steps to reduce emissions from older diesel trucks are some of the most cost-effective measures we can take to improve the air Americans breathe,” said Rep. Ken Calvert (CA-42).

The China Navigation Company (CNCo) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment (SPREP) have today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to address critical waste management issues in the Pacific islands. Known as the “Moana Taka Partnership”, this MOU allows for CNCo vessels to carry containers of recyclable waste from eligible Pacific island ports, pro bono, to be sustainably treated and recycled in suitable ports in Asia Pacific. “This historic partnership will be of great benefit to our Pacific islands, and one for which we are very appreciative to The China Navigation Company,” said Kosi Latu, Director General of SPREP. “Our Pacific islands face an immense waste management challenge.

APL has unveiled its Aloha Express (AEX) service, a new fortnightly service directly connecting Central China, Korea, Japan to Hawaii. The AEX service promises cargo delivery from Shanghai, Busan and Yokohama to Honolulu in 19, 15 and 12 days respectively. “The AEX service introduces a new sea route in our portfolio to directly serve Asia and Hawaii. Instead of routing via the U.S. mainland, shippers with Hawaiian-bound cargo will find a faster shipping alternative in the AEX service,” said Jesper Stenbak, APL Senior Vice President of Trans-Pacific Trade. “To optimally coincide with market activities in the U.S. The 990 TEU APL-operated vessel the APL Aloha will be fully dedicated the AEX service…

On 2 January, APL and Guam celebrated the New Year with APL Saipan’s maiden call at the Port of Guam, officially commencing the weekly service for the Guam Saipan Express (GSX) service. The US flagged APL Saipan joins its sister ship, the US flagged APL Guam which first arrived in Guam a year ago. The GSX service now has its frequency doubled, capacity increased by over two folds and transit time from the US Mainland to Guam and Saipan improved by three days. “APL’s enhanced GSX service is designed with the inputs of customers for customers. In particular, retailers in Guam and Saipan can now benefit from GSX’s improved frequency and transit time with a weekly arrival that is just ahead of every weekend, facilitating in-store inventory for weekend shoppers.

T&T Salvage continues to support shipowners with prompt, safe and cost-effective solutions to complex salvage, wreck removal, and anti-pollution challenges. A comprehensive management team, with an average of 26 years in the industry, has quickly propelled T&T as a leader to top-level shipping and offshore players. This team includes a diverse group of industry leaders including Salvage Masters, Project Managers, Master Mariners, Insurance Managers, USCG officers, Fleet Superintendents, and HSEQ experts, thus providing a package of experience ready to provide total service.

Sailors from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam and rescue crews from Rota, Northern Mariana Islands, 40 nautical miles north-northeast of the U.S. territory of Guam, recovered three stranded boaters a mile offshore near the village of Songsong. The 20-foot vessel was operating in 10-foot seas when its engine failed around noon. Due to surf conditions, a rescue vessel from Rota was unable to immediately rescue the stranded boaters. A Navy MH-60S helicopter from HSC-25 was launched from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and reached the vessel within 30 minutes of receiving the call to act as on scene commander. Once in the vicinity, the helicopter crew determined the best course of action was to monitor the boaters until a rescue vessel could arrive.

Continuing decreases in bunker fuel prices has prompted Matson to drop its fuel-related surcharge by 4 percentage points. Matson announced it will lower its fuel surcharge for service to Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Micronesia, effective Sunday. The decrease takes the surcharge from 35.5 percent to 31.5 percent for its Hawaii service, from to 36 percent to 32 percent for Guam/Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands service and from 41 percent to 37 percent for Micronesia service, the company said. The decrease goes into effect on Sunday, according to the company. "We continue to be encouraged by the recent moderation in bunker fuel prices…

T&T Salvage and their strategic response partner, Cabras Marine, successfully refloated a 17,000 ton fully cellular containership that went aground near Micro Beach in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. The prompt action of the Hamburg based vessel owners resulted in the immediate activation of their OPA 90 Vessel Response Plan (VRP) and T&T Salvage as its pre-contracted salvage provider. Tugs, pollution response gear, specialty pumping gear, and a 12-strong T&T-Cabras Marine team was dispatched to manage the salvage operation.

Coast Guard Sector Guam has levied fines against the South Pacific Tuna Corporation for eight separate violations of Title 46 United States Code, Section 8304 for using unlicensed foreign personnel to illegally fill the roles of chief mate and chief engineer on U.S. flagged vessels. Crewmembers from Sector Guam determined in March 2012 that the violations had taken place on five of the company’s 14 purse seine vessels while conducting dockside vessel safety examinations in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. The safety examinations are required by specific legislation for the U.S.

Survivors of the sinking cargo ship 'Rich Forest' have been transferred safely from the AMVER rescuing ship 'C.S. Sunshine' to Coast Guard Cutter 'Sequoia'. The 500-foot cargo ship Rich Forest was abandoned by its 24 crew-members after the engine room flooded and were picked up from their liferaft by the AMVER participating vessel, C.S Sunshine. The US Coast Guard report that the C.S. Sunshine has now been released from the case and will continue its voyage to Japan. The Sequoia and the Coast Guard Cutter Assateague conducted a final visual assessment of the Rich Forest…

From the Naval News Service:   1813 - Sailing Master Elijah Mix attempts to blow up British warship Plantagenet with a torpedo near Cape Henry, Virginia. 1944 - Following 43 days of naval gunfire and air bombardment, Naval Task Force lands Marines on Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands.

Company Will Conduct Orderly Transition to Minimize Supply Chain Disruptions. Last Voyage of FSX Service from China Expected on November 2; Final Sailings to Guam on November 8 and 10. Horizon Lines, Inc. (OTCQB: HRZL), the nation's leading domestic ocean shipping company, today announced it will discontinue its Five Star Express (FSX) trans-Pacific container shipping service between the U.S. West Coast, Guam and China. Horizon is implementing an orderly transition plan, beginning October 31, 2011, and will work aggressively to mitigate any supply chain disruptions for its customers. Discontinuation of the FSX Guam and China services will have no impact on the company's domestic ocean services in Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.

T&T Marine Salvage, a provider of maritime support services, announced an exclusive cooperative services agreement with OSROCO and Unitek to provide oil spill response services in Guam, Saipan and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. “With equipment staged in Guam and Saipan, the T&T Marine-OSROCO-Unitek alliance offers customers calling on Sector Guam an unparalleled and cost-effective solution to meeting the requirements of OPA 90,” said T&T Marine Vice President Kevin Teichman. OSROCO is a subsidiary of Cabras Marine Corporation, a Guam-based company that provides tug boats, barges and other maritime assets in Guam, the CNMI and throughout Micronesia.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the US Coast Guard have amended the regulation establishing the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. Additional non-resident aliens will be allowed to apply for a TWIC if they are working in a job that requires them to have unescorted access to a maritime facility. The fee structure has also been altered. The definition of secure areas at facilities located in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is changed to account for non-resident workers who are not required to obtain US work visas. The changes come into effect immediately. 72 Fed. Reg. 55043 (HK Law).