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CPA looks to U.S. for breakwater support
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Posted on Feb 02 1999
The Commonwealth Ports Authority is hoping to get assistance from the U.S. Congress in connection with the urgency to complete the $25.5 million rehabilitation of Tinian breakwater.
“It is extremely urgent for us to carry out the repair because it may cost the life of the people if a big typhoon hits the island,” said Carlos H. Salas, executive director of CPA.
With the assistance of CNMI Representative to Washington Juan N. Babauta, the ports authority wants to tap members of the U.S. Congress who have been allies of the CNMI including Sen. Dan Inoue of Hawaii.
The cash-strapped ports authority cannot afford to borrow money for the immediate repair of the Tinian breakwater since it has yet to resolve its financial obligation in paying the $53 million debt.
“Without a functioning breakwater to protect the port, a medium intensity typhoon could spell disaster, destroying vessels, the berthing area and the remaining dock. Such a calamity would devastate the local economy affecting everything from the food supply to the ability to generate revenue,” said Salas.
Although the Tinian Harbor project is included in the priority list of the Capital Improvement Project master plan, Salas said the ports authority is looking for the fastest way to construct the breakwater to prevent a disaster.
The structures and materials in Tinian Harbor were constructed and dredged by the U.S. Navy Seabees and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in late 1944 to implement the final phase of the Manhattan Project.
Except for the extensive deterioration of the iron sheet piling used for pier and breakwater facing, there is very little difference between the harbor constructed in 1944 and 1945.
The original design called for the harbor basins to be protected by a 4,600 -foot breakwater built on the shallow fringing coral reef. However, this area has deteriorated and no longer provides any wave protection.
A second 3,500-foot breakwater originally constructed of interlocking steel sheet pile in a circular cell(caisson) configuration protected the ocean side facing side of the harbor.
In 1979, approximately 1,200 feet of the breakwater was reconstructed to repair damage caused by typhoon Pamela.
