Overview
- The 225-foot Juniper-class tender completed a 71-day, 13,000-mile transit from the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore via the Panama Canal to reach its new homeport on Jan. 14.
- An extended midlife overhaul at the Yard upgraded the hull, propulsion and electrical systems, as well as navigation and communications, to improve reliability and reduce maintenance demands.
- The departure and transit were delayed by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March 2024 and by additional maintenance issues encountered en route, according to the Coast Guard.
- Hickory’s arrival returns the region to three seagoing buoy tenders for the first time in nearly a decade, joining the Honolulu-based Juniper and Hollyhock in the Oceania District.
- Homeported in Guam, the cutter will maintain 143 aids to navigation, including 90 federal aids, prioritize up to seven outstanding fixes around Guam and Saipan, and support search and rescue, law enforcement, environmental protection, and homeland security missions.