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US Military Floating Pier in Gaza Operational for Only 12 Days Since Inauguration
The US military's $230 million floating pier for humanitarian aid to Gaza has been operational for only 12 days since its May 17 inauguration due to weather and security issues.
(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) 12.24.2023 Courtesy Photo U.S. Army Security Assistance Command
LA $230 million floating pier constructed by the US military to facilitate seaborne humanitarian deliveries to Gaza has been operational for just 12 days since its inauguration on May 17, according to a report by The Guardian on Sunday.
US President Joe Biden announced the temporary pier on March 7, highlighting its potential to significantly increase daily humanitarian aid reaching Gaza. The construction involved approximately 1,000 personnel, including soldiers, sailors, and ships like the Royal Navy’s Cardigan Bay, which served as accommodation.
Since its launch, the pier has facilitated the delivery of around 250 truckloads of aid, amounting to 4,100 tonnes of supplies. However, this falls short of the pre-war daily deliveries to Gaza. A lack of trucks for distribution, due to security concerns, has often resulted in aid remaining on the beach.
Challenges such as rough seas in the eastern Mediterranean have also hampered operations. The pier, designed to withstand sea conditions up to “sea state 3,” sustained damage during a storm on May 25 and has faced ongoing choppy waters.
After repairs in Ashdod, Israel, the pier resumed operations on June 8 but was dismantled again on June 14 as a precaution against approaching storms. Reports suggest it may face early dismantlement next month due to its vulnerability to adverse weather conditions.
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Stephen Morrison from the Center for Strategic and International Studies criticized the project's handling of weather challenges, stating, “They just miscalculated … so the DoD walks away, humiliated in a fashion.”
Despite these setbacks, the Pentagon has not confirmed any plans for an early termination of the mission. Chief spokesperson Maj Gen Patrick Ryder clarified, “We have not established an end date for this mission as of now, contrary to some press reporting on the matter.”
While the floating pier aimed to bypass Israeli land restrictions for aid deliveries, aid workers expressed concerns that it diverted attention from pressuring Israel to open land crossings, which remain the most effective means of delivering aid to Gaza.
Ziad Issa from Action Aid highlighted a decline in aid deliveries to Gaza, noting less than 100 trucks arriving daily in early June. The closure of the Rafah crossing from Egypt since May 7 and the risks associated with the Keren Shalom crossing in southern Israel due to ongoing hostilities have further complicated aid distribution.
“It’s unsafe for aid workers and trucks to move because of the ongoing bombardments on Gaza,” Issa explained, despite recent Israeli announcements of tactical pauses to facilitate aid corridors.
