U.S. Coast Guard reopens Port of Tinian to daylight operations, VHF comms remain limited

SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands reset a modified Port Heavy Weather Condition (PHWC) WHISKEY for the Port of Tinian, effective at noon ChST on Friday, July 10, reopening the port to daylight-only commercial traffic and cargo operations. All operators must coordinate operations with the Commonwealth Ports Authority.

Following assessments Thursday and Friday, including work by an aids to navigation positioner deployed with the USCGC Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139) to determine positions, the COTP was able to partially lift restrictions, restoring maritime commerce flow to Tinian.

Simultaneously, crews restored connectivity to the Mt. Alutom communications tower on Guam with the help of a FEMA generator, improving VHF coverage in part of the region. The towers on Rota and Saipan remain offline. Additionally, the team at the Rota Emergency Operations Center informed the U.S. Coast Guard that the VHF tower on Rota was damaged by Super Typhoon Bavi, further limiting near-shore VHF radio coverage.

“My thanks to the team and partners for the coordination as we reopen ports across the Marianas, enabling the maritime flow of critical supplies,” said Capt. Jessica Worst, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam and Captain of the Port Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. “As heavy weather conditions subside and people begin to take to the water, I cannot overstress the importance of taking multiple forms of communication and letting someone on shore know where you are going and when you will be back. We have significant VHF communications outages across the islands. Our team is working to restore coverage, but many of these solutions require equipment from off-island, and it will take time.”

The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating with the Port of Guam and the Commonwealth Ports Authority to fully assess the ports, address already identified hazards as well as new issues. Multiple navigational aids are reportedly discrepant, off station, or simply missing. The U.S. Coast Guard issued a Broadcast Notice to Mariners and reminds all operators to exercise extreme caution when transiting waterways as restoration efforts continue. Three things the U.S. Coast Guard continues to ask of the public:

• Report any emergency on VHF Channel 16 or by calling 911. Social media is not monitored for distress. Significant VHF outages persist, so carry more than one way to call for help.
• Trust official sources for reopening and safety updates: NWS Guam, Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense, and the CNMI EOC State Warning Point.
• Stay out of the water and off jetties, piers, and docks. Dangerous surf, rip currents, and hazardous seas persist with advisories in effect through Friday afternoon and may be extended as needed. Even as conditions improve, extreme caution is advised as responders continue to work storm recovery efforts.

-USCG-

About U.S. Coast Guard Forces MicronesiaU.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam is responsible for U.S. Coast Guard operations across a 2.6 million square nautical mile area of responsibility encompassing Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States comprised of the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. These missions range from maritime security and enabling the flow of commerce to search and rescue and maritime crisis response across a vast and dynamic region.