A coordinated federal–local team will begin removing and processing vessels damaged by Super Typhoon Sinlaku from Smiling Cove Marina on Monday, June 1, launching a 30‑day effort to restore safe, unobstructed access to the channel for residents and mariners.
The operation targets dozens of grounded and sunken vessels that have remained in the basin since Sinlaku struck the CNMI in April, leaving widespread damage to boats, infrastructure, and coastal areas across Saipan and the Northern Islands. The cleanup follows a week of dredging work at the marina entrance, where contractors have been clearing large deposits of sand pushed inland by Sinlaku’s powerful surge. The sand buildup had narrowed parts of the channel and complicated navigation for boat owners, prompting early stabilization efforts to keep harbor operations functional while larger recovery work ramps up.
A 10‑person U.S. Coast Guard team will lead the vessel‑removal mission 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 work is funded through FEMA under the active Presidential Disaster Declaration.
To maintain a secure work environment, road access at the Basin Place and Marina Lane connection points will be closed for the duration of the project. Boat ramp access and water access to Smiling Cove Marina will remain open.
“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.”
The month‑long operation will include salvage diving, mechanical removal, and on‑site processing of damaged vessels. Heavy machinery, cutting equipment, and diving operations will be active throughout the period, and noise is expected.
The Smiling Cove vessel‑removal effort is one of several ongoing federal and local recovery operations underway across the CNMI as the islands continue to rebuild from Sinlaku’s extensive impacts.
