Boat owner frets over fees to use the temporary dock

One boat owner is concerned about the charge that boat owners will have to pay to use the temporary dock at the Smiling Cove Marina, saying this will impact his business and how they put a price on their services.

A representative of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources said, however, that imposing fees on the transient dock is necessary to ensure better services.

This comes soon after DLNR announced last week that it would be halting all commercial activities at the Outer Cove Marina due to safety issues.

In a meeting with boat owners Thursday evening to discuss the planned closure of the Outer Cove Marina, DLNR Secretary Anthony Benavente said the new transient dock within the Smiling Cove Marina, will charge $3 per boat passenger and a monthly fee of $15 per foot of the vessel.

The new fees, however, will set one boat owner back $600 a day just to operate. The boat owner, who asked to remain anonymous, noted that these new fees will set his company back over $1,000 monthly on the use of the transient dock and $600 daily in passenger fee since he serves about 200 passengers to and from Managaha Island. His vessel also provides marine sports activities for tourists.

“My boat has a deep draft and is over 60 feet. Multiply that by $15 sets my company back over $900 monthly,” he said. “I serve about 200 passengers daily, so that is an additional $600.”

“Where will I get the funding for these fees? Of course, from the end users—the tourists. This will force us to increase our rates. I don’t think the tourists will like this,” he said. The boat owner currently prices his services at around $10 for tourists going to Managaha.

“We might as well shut down operations,” he added.

Gus Kaipat of DLNR explained to Saipan Tribune that the department needs the funds to buy back the transient dock from the U.S. National Park Service.

“…In order for us to use the transient dock, which was built originally for non-commercial use, we have to buy it back,” he said, adding that DLNR had already signed an agreement with the NPS to buy back the dock.

“[The agreement] allowed for us to come up with regulations for us to proceed and allow commercial boaters to use the transient dock for loading and unloading purposes,” he said.

“Nothing is free. When you are utilizing a government facility, you have to pay,” he added.

The transient dock is located near the Department of Public Safety boating facility.

While the use of the transient dock isn’t mandated, Benavente said Thursday evening that those who wish to continue using the Outer Cove Marina may do so only after seeking approval from DLNR and after signing a liability waiver form. And only for personal use, not commercial activities.