Previous Story
Rota opened under restrictions
|
Posted on Jul 08 2004
The Rota seaport has been opened under certain restrictions that include a ban on night entry.
Saipan seaport Antonio Cabrera yesterday said some vessels may now access the Rota seaport, which was closed due to the devastation caused by typhoon Tingting.
Cabrera, however, added that some restrictions have been put in place to ensure the safety of the entering vessels.
Berth No. 1 of the west Rota harbor has been designated as the only safe area for operation, as Berth No. 2 is still being assessed by divers.
The restrictions apply to ships that have a gross tonnage of over 200 tons and exceed 150 feet long. Vessels that draw a draft of over 15 feet are also not allowed to enter the harbor.
The draft refers to the depth of a vessel’s keel below the water line, especially when loaded.
Still, Cabrera maintained that the restrictions are expected to have little impact on commerce in the island, as tankers and big passenger ships utilize the east harbor.
He added that barges are allowed into the west Rota harbor since they draw a shallow draft.
Meanwhile, business is back to normal at the port of Saipan.
“Everybody is busy catching up on the backlog from the typhoon,” Cabrera said.
In a meeting with port operators yesterday, he and CPA executive director Carlos H. Salas commended the port operators for implementing an effective contingency plan during the typhoon.
“We were able to minimize a lot of damage in the port because of the efforts by each port tenant, especially Saipan Stevedore, which secured containers and prevented cargos from getting wet and dragged out into the sea during the storm,” Cabrera said.
He added that even the port service vessels such as tugboats, had their own contingency plan.
“All their efforts helped us open up the port for commerce immediately after the storm,” he said.
