First ship delivers essential cargo to Saipan as port opens

The APL Islander arrived in Saipan at 7 a.m. this morning – April 23 CHamoru Standard Time, becoming the first vessel to call at the Port of Saipan after it was officially reopened by the U.S. Coast Guard after Super Typhoon Sinlaku.


Michelle Quidachay, general manager for Guam and Saipan for APL, told the Journal, “The vessel is carrying essential cargo including food, water, fresh produce, building materials and other critical supplies to support recover efforts across the CNMI.”

She said, “These shipments originated from both the United States and Asia, helping to restore vital supplies to the islands.”

Due to ongoing port recovery conditions, the Islander will utilize its own ship’s cranes to discharge containers, ensuring cargo operations can proceed efficiently despite limited shoreside capabilities, Quidachay said.

Following discharge operations, the Islander will return to Guam to load additional relief cargo before sailing back to Saipan on April 28.

In related news, the Francisco C. Ada International Airport Saipan reopened April 23 for both United passenger flights and Micronesian Air Cargo/Connection services, as did Star Marianas. Rota Airport is open to receive flights, Tinian Airport is open for humanitarian flights only, and limited to daytime operations. mbj