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CPA, feds close to bringing back lights at seaport
The Commonwealth Ports Authority and federal agencies assisting with disaster relief are close to restoring 24-hour operations at the Port of Saipan, saying that that the repair of damaged lights could be completed as soon as last night.
Since Typhoon Soudelor damaged port lights on Aug. 3, port operations have been limited to daylight hours.
Saipan Tribune observed a well-lit port on Monday night, lighting up the darkened Puerto Rico area.
CPA executive director Maryann Lizama, who was at the port Monday night, confirmed yesterday morning that the well-lit port came from their own lights and not temporary measures.
The U.S. Department of Energy also reported that local and federal authorities were testing nighttime operations by using a portion of the damaged lighting and a generator in order to illuminate an area of Baker pier, which serves tankers, cargo ships, and military vessels.
The department said lighting tests began at 7:30pm Monday night.
Lizama said until they get “more than adequate lighting” they should be able to operate at night.
“Hopefully by tomorrow,” she said yesterday.
“Our port manager, Chris Tenorio, is working on getting the additional light bulbs needed to replace burned out and damaged bulbs.”
“We will fire the lights up tonight again to see if we have the lighting needed to operate at night,” Lizama said.
Stephen DeBlasio, Federal Emergency Management Agency federal coordinating officer, separately said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ran a test on Monday to see if the local port authority would allow 24-hour operations.
“…It wasn’t quite enough light yet,” DeBlasio told Saipan Tribune.
“It may be [open] as soon as tonight. It depends on the approval of the authorities over there at the port and if it’s not enough light, then we will continue working them up until tomorrow to get additional lighting until it gets approved.”
