Coast Guard cutter arrives at new homeport in Honolulu after restorative maintenance

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock (WLB 214) arrived at their new homeport in Honolulu Oct. 14 after 806 days of restorative maintenance.

The primary mission of the Hollyhock, a 225-foot Juniper-class seagoing buoy tender, is to maintain and deploy aids to navigation within the navigable waters of the main Hawaiian Islands, American Samoa and Midway Atoll, servicing buoys that mark shipping channels, ports and hazardous areas.

Additionally, the Hollyhock’s presence in the region will support Operation Blue Pacific, the Coast Guard’s initiative to promote security, safety, sovereignty and economic prosperity in Oceania. While deployed, the cutter’s crew will conduct law enforcement, fisheries boardings and support maritime safety through the servicing of navigational aids throughout the region in cooperation with allies and partners.

Commissioned in 2003, the Hollyhock was originally homeported in Port Huron, Mich., before entering maintenance at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore on July 31, 2023.

The Hollyhock crew departed for Honolulu on Aug. 31, 2025.

“The crew is excited to arrive in Honolulu and support critical operations throughout Oceania,” said Cmdr. Jessica McCollum, commanding officer of the Hollyhock. “Our arrival enhances the Coast Guard’s capacity to maintain vital navigational aids that facilitate the safe flow of maritime commerce. This is especially crucial in Hawaiʻi, where more than 90% of goods arrive by sea.”

The Hollyhock is the last of the Coast Guard’s 16 seagoing buoy tenders to complete the major maintenance availability (MMA) program, ensuring the cutter achieves its full 30-years of designated service.

Maintenance work included completion of hull and structural repairs and replacement of obsolete, unsupportable or intensive maintenance equipment, including updates to the machinery control system, propellers, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The MMA is part of the Coast Guard’s In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) program, a strategic class-by-class evaluation offering the most cost-effective solution for delivering essential maintenance and upgrades, ensuring Coast Guard surface vessels meet or exceed their expected service life.

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