SAIPAN — A federal and local interagency team will begin removing and processing vessels damaged by Super Typhoon Sinlaku from Smiling Cove Marina on Monday, June 1, in an operation expected to last 30 days and restore safe, full access to the waterway for residents and mariners.
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 the operation 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, as 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 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 for the 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 federal and local recovery efforts underway across the CNMI.
Photos by Nathan Johnson, Micronesian Environmental Services
