The US has finished the offshore construction of the temporary humanitarian pier system, also known as JLOTS, meant to get aid into Gaza, according to the Defense Department.
“As of today, the construction of the two portions of the JLOTS, the floating pier and the Trident pier, are complete and awaiting final movement offshore,” announced Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh at a briefing.
However, due to adverse weather, the US military is unable to move the pier into position to be anchored ashore in Gaza, Singh said.
“Today there are still forecasted high winds and high sea swells, which are causing unsafe conditions for the JLOTS components to be moved, so the pier sections and military vessels involved in its construction are still positioned at the Port of Ashdod,” Singh said Tuesday.
But Singh added that the US is loading aid meant to be unloaded at the temporary pier on the ship MV Sagamore, which is currently in Cyprus.
“The Sagamore is a cargo vessel that will use the JLOTS system, and will make trips between Cyprus and the offshore floating pier as USAID and other partners collect aid from around the world,” said Singh.
CNN first reported last week that the Sagamore will be the first vessel used to transport the aid from Cyprus to the pier, but US officials hope that aid groups will eventually begin contracting their own vessels to deliver the aid.
Singh also said that while the pier’s movement would depend on weather and security conditions, the Defense Department hopes to have it in position “later this week.”
