USS Hopper visits Saipan, boosts local economy

The USS Hopper made its first port call to Saipan. The warship is a more common sight as the new administration aims to increase military tourism while pivoting away from the China market. 

NMI Gov. Arnold Palacios said, “This is what we're talking about. You know, Lieutenant governor and I have had these conversations with Seventh Fleet and trying to get our sailors into Saipan for a little bit of an R&R.”

The ship’s home port is Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where it left in October for a scheduled 6-month deployment. 325 sailors are on board. 

“We've been in and out of all the seas around. We've spent a lot of time in the Philippine Sea patrolling and just ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. We've been up as far as into the Sea of Japan and in the South China Sea already and we've got many more miles to sail before this deployment is over,” said Commanding Officer of the USS Hopper Commander Corey Millis.

 

Palacios added, “We're happy that they are ported and are going to be here for four or five days. So, yeah, you will be seeing our Department of Defense folks.”

Most of the crew will spend their time on Saipan off the ship, at local hotels, restaurants, and beaches. It’s a much-needed boost to the economy. 

NMI Lt. Gov. David Apatang said, “Just come back again and so you have the opportunity to visit the other islands like Tinian and Rota. I'm sure that you will enjoy our Commonwealth.”