HONOLULU — Representatives from Navy Region Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Coast Guard Sector Honolulu and Hawaii State Civil Defense performed a ceremonial signing of a memorandum of understanding that ensures the safety of commercial vessels that would be instrumental to sustaining public health and safety for the citizens of Hawaii at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Monday.
The MOU specifically permits pre-identified commercial vessels essential for reconstituting Honolulu Harbor to seek safe anchorage in Pearl Harbor during pre-hurricane situations.
Eighty percent of all goods and 100 percent of fuel are brought to Oahu at Honolulu Harbor and distributed throughout Hawaii and other Pacific Islands. The closure of this port due to man-made or natural disaster would have dire consequences for the entire State of Hawaii and other neighboring regions.
The memorandum was signed by Rear Adm. Frank L. Ponds, commander of Navy Region Hawaii; Maj. Gen. Darryll D.M. Wong, director of Hawaii State Civil Defense; Capt. Joanna Nunan, commander of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu; and Capt. Jeffrey James, commanding officer of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.