The USS Pearl Harbor hosted a tour for Tonga's press yesterday 16 November, providing an in depth look into the 25-year-old Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy.

The tour allowed for an inspection of the vessel's main deck, hull, helicopter landing pad, captain's domain, cargo area, and various quarters.

Commissioned in 1998, the ship is named after the main port of the United States Pacific Fleet in Hawaii, and accommodates almost 500 navy men.

“Usually about 350 crew and an additional 400 people, give and take,” said Commander Peter Downes.

Despite it's age, the USS Pearl Harbor continues to be active in US operations accross the Pacific region. The tour revealed not just the ship's intricate details but also shed light on its potential to serve for an additional 5-10 years, contingent in its condition.

Nuku'alofa is the final stop of a tour by the USS Pearl Harbor before it returns to Hawaii.

The USS Pearl Harbor has been docked at Vuna Wharf since Sunday and is in Tonga as part of the the region wide Pacific-Partnership Mission, providing technical and development support to Tonga in areas disaster response, public health, and civic preparedness.