The crew of a United States Coast Guard vessel worked with Tongan partners and made port calls in Nuku'alofa and Vava’u, Tonga, as part of their first Operation Blue Pacific patrol, which commenced in April.
USCGC Hollyhock (WLB-214) crew conducted bilateral maritime law enforcement operations with Tongan Royal Navy officers in Tonga’s exclusive economic zone.
At the end of the operations, U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Jessica McCollum, hosted the Acting Governor of Vava'u, Penisimani Vainikolo, and representatives from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Revenue & Customs, Tonga Tourism Authority, Tonga Police, and His Majesty’s Armed Forces aboard the cutter in Vava’u, on May 19.
While visiting Nuku’alofa earlier, on May 12, the crew hosted public tours aboard the 69 m Juniper-class cutter for over 170 students and community members.
The coast guardsmen also cleaned up litter from the beach near the "American Wharf" in Nuku'alofa.
The seagoing buoy tender is a type of United States Coast Guard Cutter used to service aids to navigation throughout the waters of the United States and wherever American shipping interests require.
The USCGC Hollyhock is based in Hawaii.
