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Recovery Update 4: U.S. Coast Guard opens Saipan waterway to daylight operations, all three CNMI port waterways now accessible

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Coast Guard crews aboard USCGC Hickory (WLB 212) and USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC...... read more read more

SANTA RITA, GUAM

04.22.2026

Story by Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir

U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia / Sector Guam

SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Guam and the Marianas set Port Heavy Weather Condition Whiskey for the Port of Saipan at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, authorizing daylight-only operations. The action marks the first commercial access to Saipan's port since Super Typhoon Sinlaku made landfall.

"Getting vessels into Saipan means supplies can move, and that matters enormously to the people in the CNMI. Restoring waterway access is vital, and it is one of the reasons I'm honored to serve in this region,” said Capt. Jessica Worst, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam and Captain of the Port for Guam and the Marianas.“We want to be clear with mariners and operators: the waterway is open, but coordinate with the Commonwealth Ports Authority before you go pierside — they are the right authority on what the facilities can handle right now. While we work through recovery, our teams are simultaneously assessing potential pollution risks and smaller vessels that were lost or displaced in the storm."

The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port's primary focus is on the waterways. Lifting a Port Heavy Weather Condition indicates that the channel has been assessed, known obstructions have been addressed, and federal restrictions on vessel movement have been removed. The waterways are open for daylight operations. What a specific pier or facility can safely handle is a separate question that mariners and operators must work out directly with the Commonwealth Ports Authority. Vessel operators should coordinate with the pilots as appropriate.

The USCGC Hickory (WLB 212) and an embarked U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal team conducted underwater surveys of Saipan's waterways, ensuring the channel is clear of obstructions before the port opened. Hickory crews replaced front and rear range boards, the fixed references vessels use to align on the harbor entrance and transit safely, and verified the status of other aids in the area.

Tinian received its first commercial vessel since the storm on Tuesday, after opening to daylight traffic Monday at 3 p.m. The tank vessel Sophia entered port to conduct a fuel transfer, a critical step in restoring supply chains to the island. Rota opened to vessel traffic at approximately 6:30 p.m. Monday under a modified Port Heavy Weather Condition Whiskey authorizing daylight operations.

“I appreciate the proactive efforts of the Commonwealth Ports Authority in Rota to identify structural damage to the West Harbor commercial berths, and our team will work collaboratively with them to address the issue and allow for the safe resumption of any affected cargo delivery and handling operations there,” said Capt. Worst.

Navigational aids across CNMI are being actively restored. U.S. Coast Guard crews have verified the aids to navigation in the major commercial channels and waterways, and there are no known obstructions. However, not all aids are functioning as charted. Mariners should heed all broadcast notices to mariners and not rely solely on navigational aids when transiting CNMI waters at this time. All mariners are strongly encouraged to exercise caution, reduce speed, post a proper watch, and use all available means, including radar and depth soundings, when approaching and transiting CNMI ports.

Degraded communications across the CNMI remain a significant safety concern. High-frequency radio communications are not operable. VHF coverage is extremely limited and largely restricted to ship-to-ship contact, which reduces the U.S. Coast Guard's ability to receive distress calls. First responders and partners are assisting where possible. Crews are working to restore communications, but a full fix is not immediate. Mariners operating in the area should take additional precautions and ensure they have alternate means of signaling for assistance.

U.S. Coast Guard pollution responders are assessing harbors and affected vessels across the region. That work is ongoing. In Guam, the local aids to navigation team restored the Agana front range to operation on Tuesday, improving approach safety for vessels transiting Agana Boat Basin.

Beyond port access, U.S. Coast Guard crews are working to move critical supplies to communities still cut off from normal resupply. Hickory delivered eight pallets of water and additional relief supplies to Saipan on Tuesday, coordinating contributions from multiple sources to consolidate and move as much as possible in a single push.

The Oliver Henry crew embarked an additional load of supplies and the U.S. Coast Guard dive team in Guam, and transited north overnight, conducting a transfer to pass some supplies to Hickory so they could remain on site before continuing on to Tinian. With the dive team aboard and back on station, they are working to relocate Tinian's navigational aids to their correct charted positions, a necessary step for full reconstitution.

Mariners with emergencies are reminded to contact the U.S. Coast Guard Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam on VHF-FM Channel 16 or at (671) 355-4824.

-USCG-

About U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam

The U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam team focuses on maritime security, enabling the flow of commerce, and responding to crises in Oceania. With a primary presence in Guam and Saipan and over 350 members across Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the team maintains a strong U.S. presence in the Micronesia sub-region and adjacent areas, closely tied to local communities.