Rota mayor off to Louisiana to check on cargo/passenger ship for island
Rota Mayor Melchor Mendiola is on his way to Louisiana to check and finish up on certifications for a $1.6-million retrofitted cargo and passenger ship that will help bring both passengers and cargo to and from Rota, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, and the Northern Islands.
In an interview yesterday evening, Sen. Victor Hocog (Ind-Rota) disclosed that Mendiola had gone to Boise, Idaho and from there he would fly to Louisiana to finish up certifications that needs to be worked on.
The certifications that need to be worked on are the requirements of rescue and passenger boats that will be on the ship.
Hocog said that it is possible that he will be hearing from Mendiola this Friday.
“Once the certification is done then we’re ready to go,” Hocog said.
In an earlier interview, Hocog said that the 150-foot, 500-ton cargo ship will be highly needed on Rota in terms of bringing in food and supplies and ferrying passengers to and from Rota.
Luta Mermaid LLC owner Takahisa Yamamoto made this possible investing a minimum of $1.6 million for the ship as reported earlier.
This ship can accommodate 18 passengers and carry up to 28 20-ft. containers.
Hocog earlier also said that it will be great for Rota’s long-standing problems of shortage on food and other commodities every time the barge cannot reach Rota due to rough waters.
I may be missing something in this article, the question arises as to why/what the Mayor has to do with certifying “rescue and passenger boats that are required on the ship”.
To me that reads as “lifeboats”. Either way what ever you call it is still goes to the the US Coast Guard’s jurisdiction an responsibility regardless of which flag this vessel will run under within our US ports.
So who is paying for this trip? Is it the NMI taxpayers or Victor’s “investor”?
And what does this soon to be ex-Mayor have to do with this operation?
I am not at all against this operation and wish this venture well it is just with Victor’s involvement, somebody undoubtedly will get screwed, big time along with the success of this venture will be questionable.
How many remember the history of MV Celeste which was locally owned on Rota. A smaller vessel that could carried about 8 containers. (can’t remember exactly how many)
It was seized and auctioned off. It was purchased by an Aussie and ended up in Tasmania.
That same guy was interested in bringing one of his rolloff ferries to the NMI and operating inter Island but met with so much Govt. corruption and required “under-table deals” he closed the door on that after about six months.
Buenas Captain,
The mayor of Rota is part of the group who are trying to fulfill or make the MV Luta possible. We would give them credit for their sacrifices for being away from their families in the CNMI during the holidays. Several people from the CNMI had been working hard to get the MV Luta pass the United States Coast Guard requirements and it is a group effort. Based on what we had been hearing and seeing, the MV Luta operation is well funded and the people who are involved are well taken care off.
We have no relation to such project, but we are grateful that someone or somebody is doing something to provide inter-island transportation services for our people. After seeing the size of the vessel, it would make a lot different for our society. Hopefully, we all can benefit from such venture via being afforded transportation to the Northern Islands.
The mayor of Rota and his team are working tireless to make the MV Luta maiden voyage from the United States (LA) to the CNMI next month happen. Hopefully things would turn out as plan, because our people are in dire need of having decent transportation to the Northern Islands. We could see ourselves moving up north. Let us nurture venture like MV Luta. because our local government had fail our people and someone needs to step up to the plate. We give credit to Honorable Victor Hocog for his effort for such magnitude of a project. Remember that the United States was built on people’s dream and it all started from so call pipe dreams.
Si Yu’us Ma’ase
Jun, Ya gotta be nuts, the honorable Victor Hocog, don’t make me puke, backslapper! Ya must be looking’ for a job from Victor, eh Jun?
Buenas Tautamona,
Yes, I admit that I am an odd ball and I do not take things for granted. I live below my means and I love to wear my torn clothes around town, because I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not work for anyone but myself and I am not looking for a job. Everything that I owned in my life are paid for and I always help others in need. I do pro bono work for our government and I do not ask to be compensated at times. I despise corrupted behaviors within our government. I donate my money and time to help individuals in our district who can make a different in our society during the CNMI election.
I was very critical towards Honorable Hocog at one point in time, but after doing work relating to Mr. Hocog’s position, I see a different person and he work tireless for his constituents and that is the reason I am speaking up for him.
The reason I am giving credit to Honorable Victor Hocog for the MV Luta, because our people are in dire need of inter-island services and someone needs to step up to the plate in our society.
Remember one person can’t change our government, it is the numbers game at our legislature and we need to work as a team to make things happen in our dearest island chain.
Si Yu’us Ma’ase
Voyage plans wholly with US ports as origination and destination would indicate that this ship will be US flagged. If so, positions would be necessarily be filled with US Coast Guard certificated mariners. Officers and crew alike. Just the training requirements and the required certifications are one true adventure to keep up with by the individuals in the industry and we do not grow on tree’s. I would suggest that those involved with putting this project together meet with members of the industry AMO, SIU and others to ensure only the highest level of service is provided once operations do in fact commence. This will come from properly certificated and trained professionals operating the vessel in a safe and environmentally correct manner.
Just to back track this story some, I refer readers to an article in M/V posted on Sept 8, 2014. 3 months later, the vessel still has not been given its paperwork. Hmmm? The Mayor is doing what again?
This is probably a refitted offshore supply vessel, as such, it has a cruising range somewhat less than the passage to the CNMI. Fuel stops outside of the Panama Canal, again in San Diego, another in Hawaii and then the long leg of the voyage. My experience would lead me to think that some additional refitting is needed to get more fuel tanks piped in and approved to carry combustible fluids.
As the vessel is purported to be home ported in Rota, she will be US flagged requiring US crew. Labor costs for 6 Officers and up to 8 crew could rationally be expected to be about $2,100.00 daily in direct wages, plus all the additional cost associated with employing American mariners and operating a vessel.
I’ve yet to read anything concerning the infrastructure in any of the ports intended to be served. Fee’s involved from the port authority, stevedore or shipping agencies, customs requirements for goods arriving from Guam. A longer list of costs to operate this single vessel will become apparent with time.