Military ship repair, Coast Guard study open doors to CNMI's economic growth

By Bryan Manabat

Saipan— The Northern Mariana Islands is poised to benefit from new streams of federal contracts and private investment after President Donald Trump signed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act into law, a sweeping measure that authorizes $883 billion in national defense spending for fiscal year 2026.

For the CNMI, the law delivers three key provisions: authority for U.S. military vessels to undergo repair and maintenance in the islands, a mandate for expanded U.S. Coast Guard feasibility studies in Pacific territories, and new support for military community programs. Together, the changes could bring multimillion-dollar defense contracts, infrastructure projects, and enhanced public services to the Marianas.

The ship repair provision corrects a decade-long omission that had excluded the CNMI from federal law, preventing local businesses from competing for lucrative defense logistics work.

Officials say the change could create jobs, attract private investment, and integrate the islands into the broader Indo-Pacific defense network.

Kimberly King-Hinds

The Coast Guard mandate directs the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard to study basing, infrastructure, and operational support needs in U.S. territories, explicitly including the CNMI.

The studies will assess search-and-rescue capacity, maritime law enforcement, and port security, potentially paving the way for new Coast Guard facilities and disaster-response capabilities in the islands.

CNMI Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds, who represents the CNMI in Congress, said the provisions mark “a long overdue recognition of the Marianas’ strategic importance.”'

“I also secured the authorization of the military’s Innovation Readiness Training program to purchase its own supplies for its programs that benefit local communities,” she said.

“In the CNMI, this includes military doctors providing healthcare to the community, Seabee engineers building our roads, and military engineers providing technical assistance on local infrastructure projects," she added.

King-Hinds noted that, previously, the community had to supply the materials for these projects, but the new policy will reduce local costs and accelerate completion.

"I’m excited to see our amendments make it into the final law and to see how they will help our islands in the future," she said. “This is about fairness and opportunity."

The new law, the delegate said, will enable the CNMI to fully participate in defense-related economic activity while strengthening national security in the Pacific.

Beyond the CNMI-specific wins, the NDAA sets broad national defense priorities.

The law funds modernization of nuclear forces, investments in artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons, expanded shipbuilding, and enhanced support for U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

It also codifies several executive orders, strengthens the defense industrial base, and authorizes $15.5 billion for Coast Guard operations in FY2026 and $17.2 billion in FY2027.

Analysts say the CNMI’s inclusion could position the islands as a forward-operating hub alongside Guam, reinforcing U.S. presence in the region amid rising geopolitical tensions.

For residents, the potential impact is more immediate: jobs, contracts, and infrastructure tied to America’s defense posture.

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