CPA seeks federal money for Tinian breakwater

The Commonwealth Ports Authority is poised at seeking federal money to carry out the needed repair of the badly damaged Tinian breakwater, a project that could cost the CNMI government over $25 million.

CPA Board Chair Roman S. Palacios said there is an urgent need to rehabilitate the existing breakwater on Tinian, pointing out the possibility of its collapse that may be caused by even a medium intensity typhoon.

According to Mr. Palacios, the anticipated collapse of the breakwater has the potential to seriously plunder Tinian’s struggling economy due to its current heavy reliance on its harbor for trade and tourism.

In the absence of a well-built breakwater, even a medium intensity typhoon could spell disaster on the island as it has the potential to destroy vessels, the berthing area and the remaining dock.

Mr. Palacios said such a calamity can possibly give the Tinian economy a much harder blow, which may affect the prompt delivery of basic goods like food supply, and the island government’s ability to generate revenue.

In a previous interview, CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas said the Tinian breakwater has degenerated “nearly to the point of nonexistence, thus subjecting the Tinian harbor basin and berthing areas to damage from direct wave-attack.”

The 4,600-foot breakwater built on the shallow fringing coral reef has already deteriorated and no longer serves its original intent to provide protection to harbor basin from waves.

A second 3,500-foot breakwater originally constructed of interlocking steel sheet pile in a circular cell configuration to protect the ocean-facing side of the Tinian seaport had been destroyed by Typhoon Pamela in the late 1970s.

The eastern most 1,000-foot at the end of the breakwater had likewise been diminished and advance deterioration of cells in other sections have exposed the facility to complete failure.

Mr. Salas said the cost of complete breakwater rehabilitation is far beyond what the CNMI’s financial current resources can afford, citing the depleting government coffers due to dwindling tourism economy.

He added that the rehabilitation of the breakwater, which include the engineering, design planning and construction, would cost the government at least $25.5 million. The CNMI. he said, is prioritizing this project as it continues to explore sources of funds.

The Tinian Harbor was constructed in late 1944 by the US Navy Seabees and the US Army Corps of Engineers to implement the final phase of the Manhattan Project, and nothing has changed — from structures to materials — since then.