U.S. Coast Guard lifts waterways restrictions at Port of Rota, recovery operations continue

SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands reset Port Heavy Weather Condition (PHWC) WHISKEY for the Port of Rota, effective at 8 p.m. ChST on Saturday, July 11, reopening the port to commercial traffic and cargo operations. "More than 85 people across our U.S. Coast Guard teams, with critical assistance from our partners and Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Five, are actively engaged in the maritime space and on port recovery right now," said Capt. Jessica Worst, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam. "I want to thank our crews for their dedication and the long days they've put in, going on a week now. That work is what allowed us to reopen these ports. But I also want to be clear with the public: the waterways are not back to normal. VHF outages and aids to navigation that are off station or damaged mean the margin for error on the water is smaller than usual. This is a time for increased caution and preparedness." The U.S. Coast Guard advises all stakeholders that Rota's commercially regulated facilities may have facility-specific operational limitations, and commercial owners, operators, and shipping agents are strongly urged to coordinate directly with facility operators to ensure transit and cargo operations can be safely conducted. Mariners are urged to transit the area with caution when entering or departing the Rota West Harbor. Although no obstructions were identified, shifting or shoaling within the channel may have occurred.