PHASE 1 of the Tinian Harbor repair project was completed on Tuesday, thanks to the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four also known as the Seabees.
Members of the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four are seen on the newly paved pier of the Tinian Harbor on Tuesday.
The cost of the project is $719,044 for the materials and construction supplies alone, Commonwealth Ports Authority Chairwoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds said.
The project includes the installation of vertical and Yokohama fenders as well as 11 bollards on the edge of berths.
On berth No. 1, the construction battalion members placed a concrete slab for off-loading and loading and did patch work on the existing berm.
In a statement King-Hinds said, “The Tinian Seaport is a critical economic lifeline for the community and an essential component to many Department of Defense training activities.”
This type of project, she added, “is the benefit of what was bargained for when we leased two-thirds of Tinian many years ago” to the U.S. military.
“As part of the Divert negotiations, we asked that outside-the-fence projects be considered. In our discussions, we identified improvements at the seaport as being a priority. This top side improvement is just phase one. We have every intent to keep fighting for [more] repairs to include the sea wall,” said King-Hinds who thanked the Seabees for their hard work and service.
King-Hinds said the Tinian leadership also wants to recognize their DoD partners for recognizing the critical need for the repairs.
The Tinian Legislative Delegation chairman, Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz, said on behalf of his colleagues and the people of Tinian, he is expressing his sincerest gratitude to the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Four for its “superb job.”
The Tinian leadership, he added, will continue to honor the partnership between the CNMI government and the DoD.
