U.S. Coast Guard continues post-Bavi assessments in Guam and CNMI; ports remain closed to commercial traffic

SANTA RITA, Guam — U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam crews continue to assess aids to navigation and channel conditions across the Marianas on Tuesday following Super Typhoon Bavi, working toward reopening ports to daylight operations as soon as it is safe to do so.

"My team is on the water and in the air methodically checking our waterways before we lift restrictions," said Capt. Jessica Worst, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam and Captain of the Port Guam and Northern Mariana Islands. "A displaced buoy in the middle of a channel and missing day boards are exactly the hazards we have to clear first. We will reopen these ports deliberately, one assessment at a time, because getting it right is what prevents longer delays and keeps people and our ports safe."

During assessments in Guam's Apra Harbor, it was discovered that Buoy 2 at the harbor entrance is off station and now sits in the middle of the channel. U.S. Coast Guard personnel are working with partners to develop a plan to move Buoy 2 out of the channel to ensure safe passage for maritime traffic. Several range day boards also suffered damage. A Broadcast Notice to Mariners is issued to mariners, noting all discrepancies in Apra Harbor.

In Saipan, Marine Safety Unit personnel are underway with CNMI Customs and Biosecurity to assess local aids to navigation. Full assessments for Tinian and Rota are also happening but have more challenging access.

Crews are conducting aerial assessments of the islands and ports using overflights aboard U.S. Coast Guard HC-130J Hercules aircraft pre-staged in Pohnpei from Hawai’i and Coast Guard personnel aboard a Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 Knight Hawk helicopter.

The ports of the Marianas remain under Port Heavy Weather Condition ZULU and are closed to commercial traffic pending completion of assessments and the resolution of any discrepancies. The Captain of the Port intends to lift restrictions on port waterway access for commercial maritime traffic as soon as feasible.

The U.S. Coast Guard asks the public and maritime community to take three actions:

• Report any maritime distress immediately via VHF Channel 16 or by calling 911. Social media is not monitored for emergencies and must not be used to report distress. Widespread VHF outages persist, which means some calls may be relayed by partner agencies or other mariners. Take multiple forms of communication.
• Rely on official sources for reopening and safety information: NWS Guam (weather.gov/gum) and Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense (ghs.guam.gov) and CNMI EOC State Warning Point (facebook.com/cnmieocswp).
• Observe water safety; even as Bavi moves away, the ocean remains dangerous. The National Weather Service in Tiyan has a High Surf Warning in effect for Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan until 4 p.m. Thursday, with dangerously large breaking waves up to 20 feet, decreasing to 10 to 15 feet tonight, especially along west- and south-facing shores. A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect until 6 a.m. Wednesday, and a Hazardous Seas Warning for Marianas coastal waters remains in effect until 5 a.m. Thursday, with steep seas of 16 to 20 feet that could capsize or damage vessels.

These conditions are life-threatening. Breaking waves can sweep people off jetties, piers and docks and into dangerous seas. The U.S. Coast Guard echoes the National Weather Service's guidance: everyone should stay out of the water and off jetties, piers and other waterside infrastructure. Mariners should recognize that dangerous marine conditions persist through Wednesday night and defer any non-essential operations until seas subside.

On Invest 97W: The National Weather Service Guam stated the disturbance circulating on weather apps and social media, Invest 97W, is not a typhoon, is not expected to develop in the coming days, and may never develop at all. The U.S. Coast Guard urges the public to focus on water safety, recovery, and monitor NWS Guam for authoritative weather information.

-USCG-

About U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia U.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.