ROTA — The Port of Rota reopened to commercial traffic and cargo operations at 8 p.m. Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced, resetting Port Heavy Weather Condition Whiskey five days after Super Typhoon Bavi devastated the island.
The Coast Guard advised 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 should transit with caution when entering or departing Rota West Harbor; although no obstructions were identified, shifting or shoaling within the channel may have occurred.
The Coast Guard’s most urgent message is for mariners across the islands: VHF towers on Rota and Saipan remain offline, with Bavi causing additional damage to Rota’s towers. Interim solutions for VHF Channel 16 coverage are in development but not yet implemented. Mariners should carry multiple forms of communication, file a float plan with someone ashore and report emergencies on VHF Channel 16 or by calling 911. Social media is not monitored for distress, and cell phone SOS features are not reliable in the region, the Coast Guard said.
More than 85 Coast Guard personnel are engaged in the maritime recovery effort, with support from partners including Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Five.
All four commercial ports in the Marianas have aids-to-navigation impacts, with initial post-storm assessments complete for Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan. Apra Harbor Entrance Lighted Buoy 2 is back on station, though its light remains extinguished pending repair. Broadcast Notices to Mariners are published for all identified discrepancies.
On Guam, four sailboats are sunken or partially submerged at Agat Marina with mitigation in place, and one poses a potential environmental impact. A recreational vessel is missing from its slip at Sumay Marina and may present an underwater hazard; the Coast Guard and partners are looking for it.
The cutter Myrtle Hazard ran sonar assessments off Rota with an embarked EOD team and supported dive operations, while the cutter Hickory and the Coast Guard dive team assess and prioritize aids-to-navigation repairs. An HC-130J from Air Station Barbers Point is supporting overflights and restoration efforts.
