Road access at the connection points of Basin Place and Marina Lane will be closed beginning Monday, June 1. Water and boat ramp access remain unaffected. Residents are asked to stay away from the work area and follow all safety signs and instructions.
SAIPAN, CNMI — A federal and local interagency team will begin removing and processing vessels damaged by Super Typhoon Sinlaku from Smiling Cove Marina beginning Monday, June 1. The operation is expected to last 30 days and will restore safe, full access to the waterway for residents and mariners. Residents are asked to stay away from the work area and follow all safety signs and instructions.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku struck the CNMI in April 2026, leaving widespread damage to vessels, infrastructure, and coastal areas across Saipan and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The U.S. Coast Guard will deploy a 10-person team to lead operations alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the CNMI Department of Land and Natural Resources, T&T Marine Salvage, and OSROCO. The effort is funded through FEMA under the active Presidential Disaster Declaration for the CNMI.
To protect public safety, road access at the connection points on Basin Place and Marina Lane will be closed for the duration of the operation.
Heavy machinery, cutting equipment, and diving operations require an unobstructed work zone. Boat ramp access and water access to Smiling Cove Marina will remain open and unaffected throughout the operation.
“The damage left by Sinlaku poses serious hazards to navigation and to the environment, and Saipan’s mariners and residents deserve safe, open access to their waterway,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jesse Harms, Federal On-Scene Representative, U.S. Coast Guard. “This mission brings together the right partners with the right resources to get that access restored safely and efficiently. We ask for patience and cooperation with the road closure so our teams can focus on executing this mission without distraction.”
Operations will include salvage diving, mechanical removal, and on-site processing of damaged vessels. The public is asked to avoid the closed road corridor and to stay clear of the waterside work zone for personal safety. Noise and heavy equipment activity are expected throughout the 30-day period.
The Smiling Cove vessel removal is one of several ongoing federal and local recovery efforts underway across the CNMI.
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About U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam serves as the primary federal maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and marine environmental response authority for Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The team coordinates with other federal, CNMI, and local partners to protect the maritime environment, enable maritime commerce, and ensure safe, open federal waterways across Micronesia.