ship to shore travel agency

Ship & Shore Group Tours 

407- 408- 5200

Join us for the 100th Anniversary of the GRAND OLE OPRY!  

Reserve  now for may 2-5, 2025 & october1-4, 2025.

Click the picture to view our OVERNIGHT SPECIALS!

Our mission.

Specializing in luxury motor coach travel at extremely affordable prices. 

Personalized services which include all tours being escorted 

by the founder/owner since July 1978.

 Offering a wide variety of destinations including unique venues, shows &

attractions, with the purpose of creating memories that will last a lifetime.

SHIP & SHORE GROUP TOURS, INC.

2113 Everglades Lane - Suite #145, The Villages, FL 32163

( All mail  and Payments )

[email protected]

Reservations

352-558-7000

Departures 

COMPASS BOAT & RV STORAGE

2175 E. SR #44- Wildwood, FL 34785

( 1/2 mile West of Russell Stover's candy store ) 

      Note:    all tours board   1/2 hour   before departure times 

Florida Seller of Travel License #39871  *   Member of the AMERICAN BUS ASSOCIATION

Please remember, there are    NO   foods or drinks   allowed onboard our coaches. BOTTLED WATER   is permitted.

Ship To Shore Travel

Location & Hours

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264 Larkfield Rd

East Northport, NY 11731

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About the Business

Honeymoons, Destination Weddings, Family Vacations, Cruises, Luxury Travel, Land Tours, Airline Tickets, Multi Generation Travel. Sandals Preferred Agency for Sandals and Beaches Resorts. All agents are Certified Sandals Specialists. Travel Consultant specializing in Disney Vacations located in the agency. Tahiti Tiare Specialist for travel to Bora Bora, Moorea, and the rest of Tahiti. Honeymoon Registry Available! …

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Ship to Shore helped us plan the best honeymoon ever! They are Disney World experts!!! We had the pleasure of working with Stephanie. She knows all of the ins and outs and helped us plan our stay at 2 different WDW resorts! She also advised us on everything we needed to know about tickets and dining reservations and checked in routinely as we got closer to our trip. Everything was so easy and we were truly able to enjoy our vacation with no worries. Additionally, we had postponed our trip for 2 years and Stephanie worked with us every step of the way. We can't wait to plan our next trip with you! Thank you!!! I'll be recommending you to friends and family!

I have booked through this agency twice. The first time was with Stephanie for a Disneyworld vacation and a getaway in Mexico. The second was with Elena, who helped me find great prices for my trip to Albania. They were both professional and quick to respond to all of my concerns. Stephanie is really helpful in finding good deals for flights and nearby local activities. She also gave great suggestions about the type of resorts to consider when booking my vacation depending on whether I was going with family or friends. It was very easy to talk to her. I highly suggest booking with this agency, they seem quite knowledgeable and friendly!

Elena and the rest of the staff at Ship to Shore Travel were amazing when it came to booking my honeymoon. They actually booked two honeymoons for us seeing as we were originally booked Costa Rica along with tours right before Zika spread everywhere. Elena then helped us cancel everything and re book a new honeymoon. She fight like crazy for us to get our money back and in the end we only lost out on $50. The trip to London and Paris she booked was top notch! I plan on using her in the future for all of our vacations and I highly recommend Ship to Shore!

We had a wonderful experience booking our trip to Aruba with Stephanie. She was very informative about which hotels to stay in and responded quickly to emails. Stephanie went above and beyond to make sure our trip was amazing. We were extremely happy how well our trip went all thanks to her!! We totally recommend booking any trip with Ship to Shore!

Just recently booked my honeymoon at ship to shore travel- Stephanie sat with us for a long time thoroughly going over each resort we were interested in without any pressure to choose a specific one. All of our needs and wants were addressed in detail that is reflective of not only Stephanie's knowledge, but also the employees of ship to shore from both their personal experiences and the experiences of their many clients.

I offer my heartfelt gratitude and a heap of praise to Ship to Shore Travel Agency. Our trip to Hawaii was jeopardized due to this horrible coronavirus, but with her grit and savvy skills, Stephanie secured full refunds from all the airlines, vendors, etc, despite the agency shutting its doors because of the stay-at-home mandate. Love the personal, boutique service of this agency. Very knowledgable down to minor details I would have easily overlooked. Wish I'd known about them sooner. I tend to like elaborate trips but hate the logistics and legwork. Our family vacation to Norway a couple of years ago was extraordinary, and it involved three cities, multiple modes of transportation, and various hotels and excursions. I could not have planned that without them. Thank you Ship to Shore, and to you Stephanie. Please hang tough until this virus is over. Looking forward to planning our next vacation with you guys.

Business owner information

Business Owner

Apr 20, 2020

Thank you Tom for your kind words during this difficult time. We hope everything returns to normal and we are able get your family to Hawaii soon!!

I would give zero stars, but Yelp won't allow me to. I have no idea how Stephanie has so many positive reviews, or even a job, as she has to be the most unprofessional person I have ever dealt with (if I can even say that, as she has barely spoken to me). I am part of a group attending a wedding in Jamaica, using her and this company as our coordinator. Since booking our room through her in October 2019, I can count on one hand the number of times she has contacted me. She actually recommended we book our flights NOT through her, but then didn't even follow up to ensure flights were booked until 2 weeks before our departure. She never sent payment reminders or even a payment thank you when we paid our thousands of dollars on time. We paid directly through the hotel site, as we hadn't heard from her and didn't want there to be issues with payment. She has not provided us with any guidance on regulations or rules for traveling during this time. My husband and I leave on Monday (the day after tomorrow) and I have not heard from her to ensure we have/have done everything we need or is necessary. There was not a discounted rate on anything. I probably could have saved money had I booked my airfare and hotel directly through the hotel site. I am absolutely LIVID this disgrace will likely get a free trip off of our group for "booking" and "planning" this. She is useless and did absolutely nothing for us. I essentially planned and paid for this trip myself but she is going to reap benefits. Shame on you, Stephanie! Especially during this crazy time, while my family relied on you to help coordinate travel for my brother's wedding.

Sep 4, 2020

We appreciate the feedback and would like to respond to your concerns. Putting the same bad review on every single website you can find is really unnecessary and feels like we are being bullied a bit, so that we have to respond over and over with the same response. I really wish you had contacted us directly earlier in the booking process with complaints, instead of just complaining online the day before departure. We could have set you up with another agent if you wished, or tried to work better together for your needs. You never gave an indication prior that you were unhappy, or we could have had a chance to make things better. Now, after the fact, it is too late. We have talked multiple times over your work email as your requested method of contact, by phone with your mom, and our main point of contact has always been with the bride directly for the group. You stated that you could count the number of times on one hand so I went back to count 18 separate emails sent to you. The bride has a direct contact number with me - texting, emailing, and calling my cellphone, home, and office lines. This is the Bride and Groom's special day so they are the first point of contact for us, although guests are always free to contact us directly as well. Final payments have been delayed for all travelers, as in this climate with the COVID-19 situation, we have been waiting until the last possible moment on payments. No reason to collect payment early, as many people want to make sure their trip will actually be taking place before making their payment. On the due date of your payment (when we contacted the other members of the group for payment), we received notice from Sandals directly that you paid online on their website. Sandals sends an automatic payment receipt and a thank you to the guest email address on file, and I am copied as the travel agent. We are not taking flight information until last minute, as flights are changing up until the very last day. As you may or may not know, about half the wedding group coming from New York had their flights cancelled by the airline exactly 72 hours prior (this morning) and we have been working through the day with Sandals to rebook them. We would be reaching out if needed to make changes or cancellations to your reservation as well. Regarding booking your flights, I advised you can book through us or on your own (however you feel comfortable), also advised the pricing from your city. I asked to please give me a call or email once you are ready, if you would like to book through us. I let people know they are free to book on their own because many guests like to use airline miles or credit card points, which I would not be able to access for you. I sent an email with your Sandals digital travel documents, info on your bonus resort credit which was added later to your reservation, and all Jamaica travel guidelines on July 23rd directly to your email (as well as to all the other guests of the group). All COVID-19 guidelines and updates come directly from the Jamaica Tourist Board, and can change daily, which is why we send the website to guests to be up to date and fresh on the information. We do not charge anything extra when booking Sandals reservations. Sandals resorts do not allow discounting of any sort, and any travel agency caught discounting Sandals resorts can have all client reservations canceled, and be banned from selling in the future. All pricing for Sandals is exactly the same, no matter how it is booked. If you felt you needed additional guidance or help, we are always free for questions by email, phone call, or even direct Facebook message to our company page. Hopefully at this point we can move forward. I am happy you and the rest of the group (out of the half who were able to travel) had a nice vacation. I wish you the best in your future travels. Regards, Stephanie

In October 2016, my boyfriend & I arranged a meeting with Janet to set up our trip to China for April 2017. We decided to book our trip through a travel agent thinking that they would give us advice on a country that we knew little about. Janet gave us information about tours, hotels, and proposed a great deal on flights that was too good to be true. Little did we know what trouble would follow. We gave her our full names and she booked the flights. My boyfriend's legal name includes the second and we informed Janet of such. My boyfriend had told Janet that he was unsure if the name on his passport read with the II and that he would inform her the next time we saw her. We met with her again in November and my boyfriend told Janet that his passport did not read the II, which her reply was as long as the main name is correct that's all that matters. We thought this was a little odd, but shes the professional. At the November meeting we booked our hotels and got more information about tours. The info on the tour paper that she supplied us was too small to read. When we asked her if we could have a bigger copy or for her to send the link, she told us that this was not possible. She also told us that she would arrange our transfers and send us the information prior to our next meeting. At the end of this meeting she informed my boyfriend and I that in the beginning of February we had to book our tours, transfers and apply for our Visas. At the beginning of January we emailed Janet to set up an appointment for that purpose. The only available Saturday that she had was at the end of the month, which still gave us plenty of time to get our Visas back. During this email, we had asked her to provide the information we needed to bring with us for our Visas and asked again for a way to view the tours. She sent a reply including only the tour information and not about the Visas. I had to email her again in order for her to reply with the Visa info. We completed our Visa applications and complied a list of numerous tours we wanted to see, including all information associated with each individual tour in order to expedite the booking process. When we gave her the Visa information, she reviewed it a few times and then finally complained that the date signed was incorrect, as if we were supposed to know what date to put. I sat on another travel agent's computer to fix our documents. In the meantime, my boyfriend was with Janet and had to pry information out of her such as getting vaccines for the trip. When the Visa documents were all complete, she reviewed them and then looked at our other travel documents and complained because my boyfriend's name on his passport did not include the II (again as if it was our fault). She was pissed and said that she needed to call the airline on Monday to find out what to do and would contact us immediately following her conversation with the airline. We then moved on to book the tours from my list and she had the audacity to complain that the tours were not in order. Again, she booked the tours and seemed annoyed that she was doing all of the work. We then moved on to book the transfers, because unlike what she promised, she did not book them the last time we were there. We left upset but waited for her to call on Monday in regards to my boyfriend's passport/airline tickets. Monday came and went with no word from Janet. Mid day on Tuesday, my boyfriend had to call her and ask her what was going on. Her response being, "well yea you need a new passport". I then called her because now I was angry. I had asked her what was going on and she informed me that he indeed needed a new passport. She then replied saying that "you would not have a problem getting in or out of the country but he would and you wouldn't want to leave him behind would you?" Then she tried to cover her tracks by saying she was under the assumption that he was getting a new passport prior to us meeting. Now completely aggravated by her unprofessional nature, I asked her how long it would take for us to get his new passport and Visas, and she replied 4 weeks. This was fine because we still had two months before our trip. I then asked her if she understood why we were so upset to which she replied "well yea because now its going to take longer to get the Visas". How could someone completely miss the point that she was supposed to advise us from the beginning and instead did nothing but cause issues? I then emailed her the next day and informed her that we needed to think about what we wanted to do and will email her on Monday. We sent an email that weekend asking her to transfer our documents to Stephanie and asked for us to work with her directly. Stephanie emailed us back right away and we set up an appointment to meet with her. Janet, on the other hand, took 3 days to respond with "already gave her your information...prior to this email". I have never met a more unprofessional individual, let alone a business owner.

The only reason I will give this place one star is for the amazing work Stephanie does and and also if it was possible I would give it 0 stars. We began booking with Janet. She was horrible! We told her we knew nothing about booking our trip and needed all the help she could provide. We informed her of our goal to see all 7 wonders of the new world and that we would like to continue booking with the same travel agency as long as it felt right. You would think that's a huge deal with lots of money involved. Well it wasn't it felt as though she did not care. We had to pry information out of her about our upcoming trip she told us nothing helpful and 3 months before our trip she decides to tell me I needed a new passport. Which she originally told us wouldn't be a problem. (I'm the second and my passport didn't say II on it) long story long if Stephanie and the rest of the staff left we would be the first to follow. They are amazing women who where so helpful they went above and beyond for our vacation. But the fact that janet who I believe is the owner is so careless about her customers and of absolutely no help when desperately needed I can not and will not ever return to her establishment. I have rude disrespectful and just flat out childish emails saved from this horrible owner. If you do not believe me or think I am making it up feel free to contact me and I will gladly show you. Again Stephanie and the other employees are phenomenal such a huge help and went above and beyond to fix Janet's mistakes.

May 22, 2017

When traveling abroad names on air tickets must match your passport. U.S. citizenship must be proved in order to get a United States passport which would be your Birth Certificate if born in the US. You should obtain correct required documents, apply early for a passport, or renew your old one. It should be valid for at least six months after you return home, and needs to have two or more blank pages. Otherwise, some countries may not let you enter. In trying to obtain a Visa for a specific country which does have strict specific requirements your Visa application must have your correct name on it along with the same name on your Passport as with your airline tickets. As your Passport name was incorrect with what was on your birth certificate you had no other choice but to correct your Passport name in order to obtain a Visa. Or you would have never had the opportunity to visit your '1st Wonder of the World'. I hope you enjoyed your trip to China that I arranged for you and that you enjoy your next 6 Wonders of the World in the future. Thank you Janet the owner of Ship to Shore Travel

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A FULL SERVICE TRAVEL AGENCY - Honeymoon and Destination Wedding Specialists - Luxury World Travel Specialists - Cruises - Family Vacations - Air/Amtrak Tickets - Corporate Accounts Our travel agency is located in East Northport, NY and specializes in Honeymoons and Destination Weddings. Our job is to make your Destination Wedding or Honeymoon as happy and stress free as possible. The owner, Janet Simicic, has been in the industry for over 33 years. Ship to Shore Travel's new clientele, repeat clientele and referrals have made our agency what it is today. Customer service is our #1 priority from our experienced and knowledgeable Travel Consultants. Our experience, knowledge and friendly service have made many vacation dreams come true. We are here to plan your worry free Vacation. Ship to Shore Travel is a Preferred Beaches and Sandals Agency. Our agents are always attending destination specialist classes, to keep up on new resorts and destinations. Come in and meet with us or call us to price your next Dream Vacation.

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Reviews of Ship to Shore Travel

• Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating 5.0
• Average response time 5 out of 5 rating 5.0
• Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating 5.0
• Value 5 out of 5 rating 5.0
• Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating 5.0

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Ship to Shore Travel

Ship To Shore Travel

400 Lapalco Blvd., Suite F

Gretna, LA  70056

504-392-1022

Booking a major trip is exciting,  but it can also be a bit overwhelming.  We understand. That's why we are here to take care of your every need, making your trip stress-free & amazing.  

Here at Ship to Shore Travel we offer more than cruises.  We book land destinations as well.  We can plan your destination weddings, honeymoons, family reunions, bachelorette parties and much more!

Whatever your preference in sailing, we book with most cruise lines such as:

Ama • Carnival • Celebrity• Crystal • Disney • Holland America • Norwegian • Princess • 

Royal Caribbean • Viking • Luxury Riverboat Cruises

Cruise destinations include:  

We have the ability to book cruises all across the globe if you are interested. Our most popular cruise locations are Alaska• The Bahamas• The Caribbean • Europe • Hawaii

We offer amazing  bookings with Sandals and Beaches All Inclusive resorts.  

Some locations include:

Aruba • Bahamas • Cancun • Dominican Republic • Jamaica • Mexican Riviera • Punta Cana • Turks & Caicos

Just give us a call (504)392-1022 and we can begin booking your next memory filled vacation.

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Windstar's ambiance is sporting and refined, like that of a private yacht. These tall, masted sailing vessels carry no more than 308 guests, so there's always a peaceful place onboard. Dive the world's most exotic seas right from the ship's own watersports platform and see for yourself why Windstar is 180 Degrees from Ordinary. Windstar Cruises  

Home | Book It Yourself | Ship-To-Shore Cruise Agency � | Pose & Go Photography | Battleship Iowa | About Us | Contact Us

There is a moment on every Celebrity cruise when you realize that reality has taken a vacation. Exotic treatments beckon from the AquaSpa. Tuxedoed waiters serve savory appetizers by award-winning Master Chef Michel Roux. From adults-only Celebrity Escapes to special children's programs, prepare for a true departure . Celebrity Cruises   The small ships of Clipper enable you to experience � personally and intimately � an array of fascinating destinations. Clipper�s thoughtfully planned itineraries and well-appointed ships bring you up close to experience places of natural beauty, cultural interest and historical significance; all in the spirit of adventure and personal enrichment. Clipper Cruise Line

Experience the finest hospitality afloat, "With a True Italian Signature". Seven-course dinners and midnight buffets honor the greatest traditions of Italy. Stay in shape at sea with state-of-the-art fitness equipment, then wind down with a rejuvenating massage. Lounge poolside after a challenging round on the mini-golf course. In the evening, head to the theatre or try your luck at the casino. MSC Cruises

Take a journey above and beyond all expectations on Silversea. Sumptuous accommodations consist of spacious suites, many with private verandahs. Inspired cuisine ranges from afternoon canapes to Relais & Chateaux signature dishes. Find luxury at every turn -- including Bvlgari boutiques, Mandara spas, and exclusive onshore cultural events. SilverSea Line

When you cruise with Viking you sail with the world's leading river cruise company, and you benefit from a level of expertise second to none. Nothing compares to the river. Spend less time getting there and more time being there. Little wonder that river cruising is the fastest-growing segment of the travel industry. Viking River Cruises

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AIR, LAND, CRUISE & MORE

Pick your destination and let us do the rest.

Been There, Done That

Follow Carolyn on her travels around the world on her Blog

DISCOVER THE WORLD WITH US

For those who want vacations done the right way

23 Years Of Successful Holiday Planning

With everything available on the Internet now you may wonder why you would use a travel agent?

Using a travel agent doesn’t cost you more, we can get the same prices you can online and you have access to our experience, knowledge, reviews from other clients and we are here to help you every step of the way, including if something goes wrong during your trip.

With over 50 years of combined experience, we offer both “traditional” and some more special destinations. Whether you want a vacation at the sea or skiing, a circuit in the country or abroad, an escape from the daily or a team building, Ship2Shore Holidays agents are ready to offer you irreproachable services. Let us do the work for you.

ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR ASSISTANCE

Customers are the core of our mission, meet our travel experts.

They are the people working to provide you the best experiences.

CAROLYN BORTH CO-OWNER

KENDRA QUINLAN CO-OWNER

SUE RICHMOND OUTSIDE AGENT

HAPPY MEMORIES FROM OUR TRAVELERS

Our extensive expertise will make sure yours is a SUCCESS STORY!

So many people ask me why I use a human being when I do so much on my own, they feel I should just book myself. I refuse. I always use a human – for the comfort of having someone there for me if I need it. In March when I could have been stuck in Africa – it was the work of you guys who got me and my friend home, safely and just in time. Something I wouldn’t have been able to do as I was on 2 flights in the time you guys were making the arrangements. Forever thankful, grateful and will always always always continue to use a human being. So many people believe the price of the trip is increased but that is not so. When I’m on the phone with my agent I’m on the websites that I could book myself and the prices are the same! And again the comfort of having someone having your back in a desperate time of need is worth more then anything. Thank you for all you do! Tanis Ireland

We just got back from an amazing trip to the Dominican. We sent a long list of requirements for the vacation we wanted including budget. Kendra gave us a TON of suggestions and helped us pick the PERFECT resort! She didn’t skip out on any detail including cancelation insurance, booking us a park and fly hotel close to the airport with shuttle service and highlighted all of the important info on our itinerary so we didn’t skip a beat while away. We had the best vacation and highly recommend the Hideaway at Royalton Punta Cana and Ship2Shore Holidays! Alicia May

Kendra and Carolyn were both a part of making my wedding booking of 50 people an absolute breeze! We experienced a few headaches with the airlines and Kendra did an EXCEPTIONAL job reorganizing flight plans and ensuring I (as the bride) was at ease. At Ship2Shore they truly care about their customers! Communication was constant as they were always on top of anything that came up and Kendra was always eager to help me when I had concerns. My wedding week was perfect and I owe a huge bit of that to Kendra and Carolyn for all of their help and guidance. I will most definitely be reaching out for further travels and I encourage everyone to do so as well!!!! Ash Anderson

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We are here for you, 24/7, Contact Us

AGENCY LOCATION 263 Josephine St. Wingham, ON

Contact us for an appointment

[email protected]

TICO # 50013932

519.357.2228

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© 2020 Ship2Shore Holidays

With over 25 years experience, Ship to Shore Traveler is The Adventure Cruise Outfitter. Staffed by outdoor enthusiasts who have worked as expedition staff and zodiac drivers in over 200 collective destinations, our adventure gear specialists take pride in providing the perfect gear.

• Online outfitting for adventure cruises with destination specific packages and gear rental
• Design and manufacturing of custom parkas for cruise expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic
• Onboard supply of shop inventory, incentive gifts for groups, outfitting crew and staff

Sustainability of the pristine regions of our world is of critical importance to us. Learn more.

Ship to Shore Traveler is 100% committed to customer care. We are confident our gear is exactly what you need and offer a full refund guarantee if you are not satisfied.

❂ Contact Us

• Email uscustomercare@stshore.com
• Phone 1-877-284-0406
• Address Ship to Shore Traveler 1467 Elliott Ave West Seattle, WA 98119 U.S.A.

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US military releases images of aid pier under construction off Gaza coast

Pictures released by US central command come after satellite photos showed US navy ship offshore with floating platform being built alongside it

• See all of our Israel-Gaza coverage

The US military has released pictures it says show that a pier to help bring more aid into the besieged Gaza Strip is now under construction.

The images show what appears to be a large metal construction with workers in military uniform dotted along the floating platforms.

The US central command posted the images on X saying “pier-building begins” and that “construction of the floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean is underway”. JLOTS stands for Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore.

Pier-building begins Construction of the floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean is underway. The pier will support @USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. @USTRANSCOM and @USEUCOM support the movement of… pic.twitter.com/tC9J12wz4Z — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 29, 2024

Earlier, a US navy ship involved in the American-led effort to bring more aid into the Gaza Strip appeared offshore from the territory and was involved in building out a floating platform for the operation, according to satellite photos analysed by the Associated Press.

The USNS Roy P Benavidez sits about 5 miles from the pier and base of operations for the accompanying project being built by the Israeli military.

A satellite image from Sunday by Planet Labs PBC showed pieces of the floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea alongside the vessel. The US military and Israeli authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the Benavidez’s position.

Under the plan by the US military, aid will be loaded on to commercial ships in Cyprus to sail to the floating platform now under construction off Gaza. Pallets will be loaded on to trucks, which will be loaded on to smaller ships that travel to a metal, floating two-lane causeway. The 550-metre (1,800ft) causeway will lead to shore.

The new port sits just south-west of Gaza City, north of a road bisecting Gaza that the Israeli military built during the current fighting against Hamas. The area was the territory’s most populous region before the Israeli ground offensive rolled through and pushed more than a million people south toward the city of Rafah on the Egyptian border.

Israeli military positions now sit on either side of the pier, which initially had been built – as part of an effort led by World Central Kitchen – out of the rubble of buildings levelled by Israel. That effort halted after an Israeli airstrike killed seven WCK aid workers on 1 April as they travelled in clearly marked vehicles on a delivery mission authorised by Israel.

WCK said on Sunday that it would resume work in Gaza. Its CEO, Erin Gore, said the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had apologised for the attack and promised a change in their rules of operation, but that little was assured.

“While we have no concrete assurances, we continue to seek answers and advocate for change with the goal of better protecting WCK and all NGO workers serving selflessly in the worst humanitarian conditions,” she said. “Our demand for an impartial and international investigation remains.”

Gore said her organisation was exploring routes to allow more aid into Gaza, including a maritime corridor. Using cargo ships to deliver aid has drawn criticism from relief groups including the UN, amid criticism it is a less efficient way to deliver vital goods than over land.

Data from the UN shows that about 250 aid trucks enter Gaza each day, about half of what aid groups say are needed, amid reports of imminent famine in parts of the territory.

As WCK resumed operations, a coalition of activists and relief groups said they had postponed a plan to sail three ships from Turkey to Gaza carrying ambulances, anaesthetics and other forms of relief.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a group comprising hundreds of international activists spearheaded by the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), said the flag carrier Guinea-Bissau removed its flag from two of the ships. “Without a flag, we cannot sail. But this is not the end,” they said in a statement.

Organisers said the shipping registry of Guinea-Bissau, administered by an Athens-based corporation, G-B International, contacted them to demand further inspection of one of their ships, the Akdeniz, a large passenger ship moored in an Istanbul shipyard.

Before the inspection was completed, they said, G-B International told them it had withdrawn the flag from the Akdeniz and a cargo ship.

IHH has sent multiple cargo ships of aid to Al-Arish in Egypt, which then enters Gaza through the Rafah crossing with the consent of the Israeli authorities. However, in this instance activists onboard the flotilla said they would not cooperate with Israel in any way to deliver the aid onboard once they reached Gaza.

The organisers said G-B international demanded “a formal letter explicitly approving the transportation of humanitarian aid and a complete manifest of the cargo”.

Eirini Sampani, a legal officer with G-B international, said signing up to its register entailed a commitment not to “engage on a unilateral basis in war zones against internationally followed practices and UN resolutions, such as the Gaza area”.

Sampani and G-B international said they were “closely monitoring the situation and cooperating with relevant authorities to ensure that any potential commercial activity adheres to applicable laws and regulations”.

They declined to answer further questions about what had prompted the company to suddenly withdraw the flags, or what information was provided by IHH about the ship’s purpose or destination during registration.

The activists’ efforts to reach Gaza from Turkey marked a repeat of an attempt in 2010 in which the boats were boarded by Israeli commandos in international waters. Nine people were killed on one of the boats.

Activists and IHH said reports of imminent famine in Gaza and the rising loss of life made them decide to reprise the flotilla, even though the 2010 incident prompted a dramatic break in Turkish-Israeli relations that lasted for years. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was pressed into apologising to the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for the incident by the then US president, Barack Obama.

Aid groups say maritime deliveries and airdrops are not enough to ward off famine. The relief organisation Oxfam said Israel should “lift its total blockade of Gaza” and stop arbitrary blocks that prevented relief from entering.

The White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told ABC News that a floating pier built by the US military would be operative in two or three weeks’ time.

He said that while it was designed to increase aid into Gaza, the maritime route remained a limited way to bring in relief. “Nothing can replace the ground routes and the trucks that are getting in,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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How the U.S. Humanitarian Pier in Gaza Will Work

By Elena Shao ,  Mika Gröndahl ,  Anjali Singhvi and Marco Hernandez

A humanitarian pier the U.S. military will bring to the Gaza Strip is currently being assembled and is expected to be ready to receive initial shipments of food and other aid early next month, according to military officials. The effort to deliver aid to the enclave through a maritime corridor, which was announced in March , will involve an elaborate, multistep process.

A thousand American soldiers and sailors will be involved in the pier project, a senior military official said in a Pentagon call with reporters on Thursday. The pier will initially enable the transfer of about 90 truckloads of aid per day, the official said, and will eventually ramp up to 150 truckloads per day at full capacity.

U.S. authorities have said the pier is intended to supplement, not replace, existing aid deliveries over land. U.N. data indicates that land-based deliveries have risen slightly in recent weeks but still fall far short of vast need in the enclave. Dozens of Gazans have died from causes related to malnutrition and dehydration, and the United Nations’ World Food Program has said half of Gaza’s population of 2.2 million is starving .

Once aid reaches the shore, relief organizations that will distribute it within Gaza will face familiar dangers and obstacles amid ongoing Israeli bombardment.

A majority of the aid will be food collected from several countries and transported to the Larnaca port in Cyprus.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Agency for International Development, which is working closely with the military to coordinate plans for the pier, said some of the items that would come through the maritime corridor would include nutrient-dense food bars, sourced from Dubai; foods intended to treat severe malnutrition in children, sourced from Kenya; and relief supplies, including hygiene kits, sourced from Europe.

Military officials have said other countries and organizations will also contribute food and money.

At the Larnaca port, Israeli representatives will be present as Cypriot authorities inspect items, according to an Israeli official with knowledge of the inspection plans.

The official said the standards for inspection would be the same as those at the land crossings into Gaza. Aid officials have said those inspections are exhaustive and sometimes arbitrary .

World Central Kitchen, a disaster relief nonprofit, has tested the maritime corridor twice before at a smaller scale in March. The loading, scanning and inspection process for those two ships took between two and three days each, according to Juan Camilo Jimenez Garces, a regional manager for the organization. The first ship, a partnership with the Spanish nonprofit Open Arms, carried about 200 tons of aid, while the second carried more than 300 tons.

The roughly 250-mile journey from Cyprus to Gaza normally takes about 15 hours, or a full day of travel, but it could take up to a couple of days depending on the weight of the cargo and the type of vessel. For example, the Open Arms ship, which towed its cargo on a separate platform instead of carrying it onboard, made the journey in about three days.

transporting

Mediterranean

transporting aid

The New York Times

Ships can also be delayed because of unfavorable weather conditions. That was one factor that held up the second World Central Kitchen ship, Jennifer, for about two weeks at Larnaca after it was scheduled to depart.

Gaza has no international seaport; Israel has for decades prevented the construction of one. Because waters near the shore are too shallow for large vessels to approach the humanitarian pier directly, the United States is also building a floating platform two miles off the coast, where ships carrying aid will first offload their cargo.

Smaller Army vessels, known as L.C.U.s (for “landing craft utility”) and L.S.V.s (for “logistics support vessels”), will transport the aid in batches from the platform to the pier.

Ship with aid at

the floating platform

Aid pallets are loaded on trucks. They are driven onboard L.C.U.s and L.S.V.s, which will shuttle them to the pier.

L.C.U. VESSEL

brings empty

trucks to be loaded with aid

carrying loaded aid trucks to the pier

The distance from the floating platform to the pier is typically two miles.

At the pier,

loaded aid trucks are driven to Gaza’s shore.

EMPTY TRUCK

The trucks, driven by a third party, will be closely monitored by the Israeli military as they deposit the aid to the shore.

return to the pier

Humanitarian partners will pick up aid near the shore to take it into the Gaza Strip.

AID PALLETS

At the pier, loaded aid trucks are driven to Gaza’s shore.

Note: Distances are not to scale.

At least 14 U.S. ships are involved in the building and operation of the pier, according to a military official — some carrying necessary heavy machinery and equipment. U.S. service members will build the pier at sea, using modular units eight feet wide and 20 or 40 feet long, and a long ferry will drag it to shore. It will then be anchored by Israeli forces on the shore in northern Gaza to ensure there are no U.S. boots on the ground.

Humanitarian aid officials involved in receiving and distributing the aid have pushed to keep their engagement with the Israeli military as limited as possible.

The World Food Program will help distribute aid inside Gaza after it arrives at the pier, the U.S. Agency for International Development said last week.

Trucks coordinated by aid groups will transport aid from a secure area near the pier to U.N. warehouses, of which there are more than 20 across Gaza, and then eventually to hundreds of community kitchens, shelters, smaller warehouses and other distribution points throughout the region.

A majority of the distribution points are in southern Gaza, where most of the population has been forced to evacuate, but demographers estimate that several hundred thousand people remain in the northern part of the enclave, where famine is imminent .

A small number of routes are available to the distribution trucks, because the Israeli military has limited road access and Israeli airstrikes have turned much of the landscape to rubble. As usual, the convoys will need to coordinate their movements closely with the Israeli military.

Humanitarian road access in Gaza

Highly limited crossings

Open crossings

Prohibited roads

Accessible roads

Approximate location

of pier and platform

Limited entry

used by WFP

Israeli military road

serving as alternative

route for aid groups

Mediterranean Sea

Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Note: Road accessibility based on a map released by OCHA on April 24.

Aid officials have emphasized that the most efficient method of delivering aid into Gaza remains through land routes, and they have expressed concern that the pier might deflect attention from efforts to increase the amount of aid delivered over land.

Several previous attempts at delivering aid to Gazans have ended in deadly tragedy. This month, Israel struck a convoy belonging to World Central Kitchen, killing seven of the group’s aid workers . Israel has also bombed an aid warehouse on at least one occasion , a strike it said was targeted to kill a Hamas commander.

Aid experts say the hunger crisis in Gaza is human-made, citing the decades-long blockade of the territory by Israel and backed by Egypt, Israel’s near-complete siege after Oct. 7 and its tight restrictions on aid-truck entry ever since. The U.N. has said that Israel’s restrictions of aid, destruction of infrastructure and displacement of Gazans may amount to the use of starvation as a war tactic.

Israel has pushed back, and its officials have blamed U.N. aid agencies for failing to distribute aid effectively. They have also said that Hamas, which rules Gaza and has been deemed a terrorist organization, has been systematically seizing aid. David Satterfield, the U.S. special envoy for humanitarian aid, said in February that Israel had not brought forward specific evidence of theft or diversion of U.N.-delivered aid.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis has continued to grow more dire. Many Gazans have died seeking aid, including more than 100 who were killed while trying to get food from an aid convoy, according to Gazan health officials, and more than a dozen who drowned while retrieving airdropped aid that had fallen into the sea.

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Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

As diplomats converged in the Middle East, seeking a cease-fire in Gaza , Israel wrestled with whether to go forward with a ground invasion of Rafah , a city in the enclave’s south where more than a million Palestinians have fled the war.

Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants  for senior government officials on charges related to the conflict with Hamas.

World Central Kitchen said that it would resume operations in Gaza  with a local team of Palestinian aid workers, nearly a month after seven of its workers were killed in an Israeli attack.

Campus Protests in the U.S.: On quads and lawns from coast to coast, U.S. colleges are grappling with a groundswell of student activism  over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Administrators are having to make controversial decisions .

Cracking Down on Protests: Grief and rage over the Gaza war and Israel have led to demonstrations across the Arab world. Arrests suggest governments fear the outrage could boomerang .

Imagining Gaza’s Reconstruction: International development agencies have been meeting with Middle East business interests and urban planners to map out an economic future for the territory .

Showing Liberal Dismay: Representative Mark Pocan, the progressive Democrat from a rural, mostly white Wisconsin district, is determined to let President Biden know that it is not just young people of color who are concerned about the war .

Ukraine wiped out nearly a third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet without even having a real navy. These are the warships Russia lost.

• In under two years, Ukrainian forces have devastated Russia's Black Sea Fleet of about 80 vessels.
• A Ukrainian navy spokesman said at least 25 Russian warships are destroyed and 15 are under repair.
• In lieu of warships, Ukraine uses unmanned drones and anti-ship missiles to thwart Russia's navy.

The Ukrainian navy has decimated the Russian Black Sea Fleet , taking out nearly a third of Russia's vessels in less than two years.

With no warships in their arsenal, Ukrainian forces have relied on unmanned maritime drones and long-range anti-ship missiles to hammer Russia's fleet.

Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said in a public statement that the Russian Navy had approximately 80 warships at the outset of the invasion, including large warships, landing ships, submarines, patrol boats, and minesweepers.

As of earlier this week, 25 vessels have been destroyed, and 15 more are under repair, he said.

"I can say that the Black Sea Fleet operations have been greatly complicated, if not paralyzed," Pletenchuk said.

The attacks have allowed Ukraine to resume the grain shipments through the Black Sea central to its economy and forced the Black Sea Fleet to shift warships away from Crimea, its prized naval homeport.

Several Russian ships that Ukraine claimed to have destroyed have yet to be identified, but reportedly among them are Raptor-class patrol boats , a BK-16 high-speed assault boat , a Serna-class landing craft , and a Stenka-class patrol vessel .

Here are the warships Russia is known to have lost over the past two years.

March 24, 2022: The Saratov

Commissioned in 1968, the Saratov is a large Alligator-class amphibious landing warship in the Black Sea Fleet. It was reactivated to transport supplies and support Russian military operations in Syria.

The ship could carry about 400 troops, as well as 20 main battle tanks or 45 armored vehicles.

While the ship was docked in occupied Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on March 24, 2022, Ukrainian forces reportedly sank it with a Soviet Tochka-U short-range ballistic missile.

Video of the incident appears to show fire erupting above the wreck of the ship near the port as other Russian warships sail to escape the flames.

April 14, 2022: The Moskva

In a significant blow, the Black Sea Fleet lost its flagship, the Moskva , a guided missile cruiser, after it sank on April 14, 2022. It marked the first time a Russian flagship was sunk since the Russo-Japanese War from 1904 to 1905.

At the onset of the invasion, the Moskva provided air cover for other warships and aided in capturing Snake Island in late February 2022.

Ukraine claimed to have struck the cruiser with long-range Neptune missiles launched from shore.

The 1st video of the Moskva missile cruiser before it sank, if photos posted last night are accurate. It was listing to one side & on fire inside & out, with the area around the bridge burning intensely from what Ukraine says was 2 missile strikes pic.twitter.com/0QpI1tzOrI — Alec Luhn (@AlecLuhn) April 18, 2022

June 17, 2022: The Vasily Bekh

The Vasily Bekh, a Russian rescue tugboat, joined the Black Sea Fleet in 2017, intended to provide emergency rescue and towing of ships, evacuate maritime crews, and conduct diving operations and survey work. The Russian tugboat was also used to transport ammunition, weapons, and personnel to Snake Island.

But the rescue tug's time in the fleet came to an end on June 17, 2022, after Ukrainian forces said they struck and "successfully demilitarized" the Vasily Bekh with two Harpoon missiles . The attack marked the first time Ukraine hit a Russian vessel with Western-supplied anti-ship rockets.

August 4, 2023: The Olenegorskiy Gornyak

The Olenegorskiy Gornyak is a Ropucha-class tank landing ship designed to quickly unload cargo and transport amphibious forces to land.

At 360 feet long, Ropucha-class warships can land up to 10 battle tanks and carry up to 350 troops.

On August 4, 2023, the Russian warship was left badly damaged after it was struck by a Ukrainian sea drone armed with explosives — the first of many ships to fall to attack drones that could reach warships out of missile range. Russia acknowledged the attack but claimed that the Olenegorskiy Gornyak was left unharmed, but video footage of the attack suggested otherwise.

In the video, the sea drone can be seen zooming toward the landing ship and slamming into the side of it before the feed cuts off after detonating.

September 13, 2023: The Minsk

A little over a month later, another Ropucha-class landing vessel was struck on September 13, 2023, while in dry-dock undergoing maintenance at the Sevmorzadov shipyard in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Open-source imagery of the aftermath showed that the Minsk has "almost certainly been functionally destroyed," the UK Ministry of Defense said. A month later, satellite imagery reportedly showed the Minsk had been dismantled .

"The Minsk may be disassembled for spare parts, if there are any left there at all," Ukrainian Navy spokesman Pletenchuk said.

A closer look at the Ropucha-class 'Minsk'. Destroyed during a recent Storm Shadow attack on Sevastopol bay. https://t.co/rC10KD0gJU pic.twitter.com/Q13cPZOSDx — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) September 14, 2023

September 13, 2023: The Rostov-on-Don

Alongside the Minsk, the Kilo 636.3 class submarine Rostov-on-Don also "suffered catastrophic damage," the UK Defense Ministry said in an intelligence report. The submarine was also undergoing repairs at the Sevmorzadov shipyard.

"Any effort to return the submarine to service is likely to take many years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars," the ministry continued.

CIT received exclusive photos of the damaged Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don. They indicate she received two hits, one of which is not visible from the satellite imagery. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/pYJ5n4n07H — CIT (en) (@CITeam_en) September 18, 2023

November 4, 2023: The Askold

The Russian Navy also lost one of its brand-new warships before it had the chance to join the Black Sea Fleet.

Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk, commander of Ukraine's Air Force, said Ukrainian forces targeted the Zaliv shipyard in Russian-occupied Crimea, causing significant damage to the Project 22800 Karakurt-class corvette, the Askold.

Less than a week later, two more Russian vessels were hit by Ukrainian sea drones, though it was not immediately clear which ships were targeted.

+1 destroyed russian ship. @StratCom_AFU confirmed that an Askold russian ship was destroyed during Saturday’s cruise missile attack on the shipbuilding plant in Kerch. pic.twitter.com/TRhuXkouYx — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) November 6, 2023

Russian media publish a video from Kerch in temporarily occupied Crimea. Information also appeared that there were at least three strikes on Askold, a Rusaian small missile ship that was to the south of Kerch. Waiting for official confirmation. pic.twitter.com/bDJJjWoUgZ — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) November 4, 2023

December 26, 2023: The Novocherkassk

To cap off a devastating year for the Russian Navy , Ukrainian forces launched guided missiles at the Ropucha-class landing ship, the Novocherkassk, at the town of Feodosiya in Russian-occupied Crimea.

"Russia's fleet is getting smaller and smaller!" Oleshchuk, the air force commander, wrote on Telegram along with footage of the explosion.

A Russian-appointed governor claimed only one person was killed, and two were injured in the attack, an unlikely outcome since the ship has a crew of about 100; independent Russian journalists reported dozens were wounded or missing.

US military ships are working to build a pier for Gaza aid. It's going to cost at least $320 million

This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows the USNS Roy P. Benavidez, center, in the Mediterranean Sea off shore from the Gaza Strip on Monday, April 29, 2024. A U.S. Navy ship involved in the American-led effort to bring more aid into the besieged Gaza Strip is off shore from the enclave, slowly building out a floating platform for the operation, satellite photos analyzed Monday by The Associated Press show. Credit: AP

JERUSALEM — A U.S. Navy ship and several Army vessels involved in an American-led effort to bring more aid into the besieged Gaza Strip are offshore of the enclave and building out a floating platform for the operation that the Pentagon has said will cost at least $320 million.

Sabrina Singh, Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters the cost is a rough estimate for the project and includes the transportation of the equipment and pier sections from the United States to the coast of Gaza, as well as the construction and aid delivery operations.

Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press on Tuesday show the USNS Roy P. Benavidez about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the port on shore, where the base of operations for the project is being built by the Israeli military. The USAV General Frank S. Besson Jr., an Army logistics vessel, and several other Army boats are with the Benavidez and working on the construction of what the military calls the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, system.

Satellite images from Sunday and Monday by Planet Labs PBC showed pieces of the floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea, alongside the Benavidez. Measurements of the vessel match known features of the Benavidez, a Bob Hope-class vehicle cargo ship operated by the Military Sealift Command.

A U.S. military official confirmed late last week that the Benavidez had begun construction and that it was far enough off shore to ensure that the troops building the platform would be safe. Singh said on Monday that next will come the construction of the causeway, which will then be anchored to the beach.

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The U.S. military's Central Command early Tuesday published images of the floating pier's construction online, after the AP's publication of the satellite photos.

“The pier will support USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” the statement on the social platform X said.

This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows the USNS Roy P. Benavidez in the Mediterranean Sea off shore from the Gaza Strip on Sunday, April 28, 2024. A U.S. Navy ship involved in the American-led effort to bring more aid into the besieged Gaza Strip is off shore from the enclave, slowly building out a floating platform for the operation, satellite photos analyzed Monday, April 29, 2024, by The Associated Press show. Credit: AP/Planet Labs PBC

U.S. and Israeli officials have said they hope to have the floating pier in place, the causeway attached to the shore and operations underway by early May. The Pentagon said on Monday the operation will cost at least $320 million. The cost was first reported by Reuters.

Under the plan by the U.S. military, aid will be loaded onto commercial ships in Cyprus to sail to the floating platform now under construction off Gaza. The pallets will be loaded onto trucks, which will be loaded onto smaller ships that will travel to a metal, floating two-lane causeway. The 550-meter (1,800-foot) causeway will be attached to the shore by the Israeli Defense Forces.

The U.S. military official said an American Army engineering unit has teamed with an Israeli military engineering unit in recent weeks to practice the installation of the causeway, training on an Israeli beach just up the coast.

The new port sits southwest of Gaza City and a bit north of a road bisecting Gaza that the Israeli military built during the current war against Hamas. The area was the territory’s most populous before the Israeli ground offensive rolled through and pushed more than 1 million people south toward the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt.

Now Israeli military positions are on either side of the port, which initially had been built — as part of an effort led by World Central Kitchen — out of the rubble of buildings leveled by Israel. That effort halted after an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers on April 1 as they traveled in clearly marked vehicles on a delivery mission authorized by Israel. The organization says it is resuming its work in Gaza.

Aid has been slow to get into Gaza, with long backups of trucks awaiting Israeli inspections. The U.S. and other nations also have used air drops to send food into Gaza. The U.S. military official said deliveries on the sea route initially will total about 90 trucks a day and could quickly increase to about 150 trucks daily.

Aid organizations have said several hundred such trucks are needed to enter Gaza every day.

In the aftermath of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage, Israel cut off or heavily restricted food, water, medicine, electricity and other aid from entering the Gaza Strip. Under pressure from the U.S. and others, Israel says the situation is improving, though United Nations agencies have said much more aid needs to enter.

Gaza, slightly more than twice the size of the city of Washington and home to 2.3 million people, has found itself on the brink of famine. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began, local health authorities say.

On Sunday, Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the amount of aid going into Gaza would continue to scale up.

“This temporary pier will provide a ship-to-shore distribution system that will further increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” he said in a statement.

However, high-ranking Hamas political official Khalil al-Hayya told the AP last week that the group would consider Israeli forces — or forces from any other country — stationed by the pier to guard it as “an occupying force and aggression,” and that the militant group would resist it.

On Wednesday, a mortar attack targeted the port site, though no one was hurt.

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US military ships are working to build a pier for Gaza aid. It’s going to cost at least $320 million

The Associated Press

April 30, 2024, 2:40 AM

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JERUSALEM (AP) — A U.S. Navy ship and several Army vessels involved in an American-led effort to bring more aid into the besieged Gaza Strip are offshore of the enclave and building out a floating platform for the operation that the Pentagon has said will cost at least $320 million.

Sabrina Singh, Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters the cost is a rough estimate for the project and includes the transportation of the equipment and pier sections from the United States to the coast of Gaza, as well as the construction and aid delivery operations.

Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press on Tuesday show the USNS Roy P. Benavidez about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the port on shore, where the base of operations for the project is being built by the Israeli military. The USAV General Frank S. Besson Jr., an Army logistics vessel, and several other Army boats are with the Benavidez and working on the construction of what the military calls the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, system.

Satellite images from Sunday and Monday by Planet Labs PBC showed pieces of the floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea, alongside the Benavidez. Measurements of the vessel match known features of the Benavidez, a Bob Hope-class vehicle cargo ship operated by the Military Sealift Command.

A U.S. military official confirmed late last week that the Benavidez had begun construction and that it was far enough off shore to ensure that the troops building the platform would be safe. Singh said on Monday that next will come the construction of the causeway, which will then be anchored to the beach.

The U.S. military’s Central Command early Tuesday published images of the floating pier’s construction online, after the AP’s publication of the satellite photos.

“The pier will support USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” the statement on the social platform X said.

U.S. and Israeli officials have said they hope to have the floating pier in place, the causeway attached to the shore and operations underway by early May. The Pentagon said on Monday the operation will cost at least $320 million. The cost was first reported by Reuters.

Under the plan by the U.S. military, aid will be loaded onto commercial ships in Cyprus to sail to the floating platform now under construction off Gaza. The pallets will be loaded onto trucks, which will be loaded onto smaller ships that will travel to a metal, floating two-lane causeway. The 550-meter (1,800-foot) causeway will be attached to the shore by the Israeli Defense Forces.

The U.S. military official said an American Army engineering unit has teamed with an Israeli military engineering unit in recent weeks to practice the installation of the causeway, training on an Israeli beach just up the coast.

The new port sits southwest of Gaza City and a bit north of a road bisecting Gaza that the Israeli military built during the current war against Hamas . The area was the territory’s most populous before the Israeli ground offensive rolled through and pushed more than 1 million people south toward the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt.

Now Israeli military positions are on either side of the port, which initially had been built — as part of an effort led by World Central Kitchen — out of the rubble of buildings leveled by Israel. That effort halted after an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers on April 1 as they traveled in clearly marked vehicles on a delivery mission authorized by Israel. The organization says it is resuming its work in Gaza.

Aid has been slow to get into Gaza, with long backups of trucks awaiting Israeli inspections. The U.S. and other nations also have used air drops to send food into Gaza. The U.S. military official said deliveries on the sea route initially will total about 90 trucks a day and could quickly increase to about 150 trucks daily.

Aid organizations have said several hundred such trucks are needed to enter Gaza every day.

In the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage, Israel cut off or heavily restricted food, water, medicine, electricity and other aid from entering the Gaza Strip. Under pressure from the U.S. and others , Israel says the situation is improving, though United Nations agencies have said much more aid needs to enter.

Gaza, slightly more than twice the size of the city of Washington and home to 2.3 million people, has found itself on the brink of famine. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began, local health authorities say.

On Sunday, Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the amount of aid going into Gaza would continue to scale up.

“This temporary pier will provide a ship-to-shore distribution system that will further increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” he said in a statement.

However, high-ranking Hamas political official Khalil al-Hayya told the AP last week that the group would consider Israeli forces — or forces from any other country — stationed by the pier to guard it as “an occupying force and aggression,” and that the militant group would resist it.

On Wednesday, a mortar attack targeted the port site, though no one was hurt.

Associated Press writers Tara Copp and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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US military pier in Gaza to cost $320 million, Pentagon estimates

JERUSALEM — A U.S. Navy ship and several Army vessels involved in an American-led effort to bring more aid into  the besieged Gaza Strip  are offshore of the enclave and building out a floating platform for the operation, which the Pentagon said Monday will cost at least $320 million.

Sabrina Singh, Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters the cost is a rough estimate for the project and includes the transportation of the equipment and pier sections from the U.S. to the Gaza coast, as well as the construction and aid delivery operations.

Satellite photos analyzed Monday by The Associated Press show the USNS Roy P. Benavidez about 5 miles from the port on shore, where the base of operations for the project is being built by the Israeli military. The USAV General Frank S. Besson Jr., an Army logistics vessel, and several other Army boats are with the Benavidez and working on the construction of what the military calls the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, system.

A satellite image from Sunday by Planet Labs PBC showed pieces of the floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea alongside the Benavidez. Measurements of the vessel match known features of the Benavidez, a Bob Hope-class vehicle cargo ship operated by the Military Sealift Command.

A U.S. military official confirmed late last week that the Benavidez had begun construction and that it was far enough off shore to ensure troops building the platform would be safe. Singh said Monday that next will come the construction of the causeway, which will then be anchored to the beach.

British troops may be tasked with delivering Gaza aid, BBC report says

The report comes after a u.s. military official said there'd be no american “boots on the ground” and another nation would deliver aid from offshore pier..

U.S. and Israeli officials have said they hope to have the floating pier in place, the causeway attached to the shore and operations underway by early May. The cost of the operation was first reported by Reuters.

Under the plan by the U.S. military, aid will be loaded onto commercial ships in Cyprus to sail to the floating platform now under construction off Gaza. The pallets will be loaded onto trucks, which will be loaded onto smaller ships that will travel to a metal, floating two-lane causeway. The 1,800-foot causeway will be attached to the shore by the Israeli Defense Forces.

The U.S. military official said an American Army engineering unit has teamed with an IDF engineering unit in recent weeks to practice the installation of the causeway, training on an Israeli beach just up the coast.

The new port sits just southwest of Gaza City, a bit north of a road bisecting Gaza that the Israeli military built during the  current fighting against Hamas . The area was the territory’s most populous before the Israeli ground offensive rolled through and pushed more than 1 million people south toward the city of Rafah on the Egyptian border.

Now Israeli military positions sit on either side of the port, which initially had been built, as part of an effort led by World Central Kitchen, out of the rubble of buildings leveled by Israel. That effort halted after  an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers  on April 1 as they traveled in clearly marked vehicles on a delivery mission authorized by Israel. The organization says it is resuming its work in Gaza.

Aid has been slow to get into Gaza, with long backups of trucks awaiting Israeli inspections. The U.S. and other nations also have used air drops to send food into Gaza. The U.S. military official said deliveries on the sea route initially will total about 90 trucks a day and could quickly increase to about 150 trucks daily.

Aid organizations have said several hundred such trucks are needed to enter Gaza every day.

In the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage, Israel cut off or heavily restricted food, water, medicine, electricity and other aid from entering the Gaza Strip. Under  pressure from the U.S. and others , Israel says the situation is improving, though United Nations agencies have said much more aid needs to enter.

US-led Gaza humanitarian aid pier comes under fire, UN officials say

The attack marks a shaky start to the construction of the pier, a project that the u.s. is spearheading to surge humanitarian aid into gaza..

Gaza, slightly more than twice the size of the city of Washington and home to 2.3 million people, has found itself on the precipice of famine. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began, local health authorities say.

On Sunday, Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the amount of aid going into Gaza would continue to scale up.

“This temporary pier will provide a ship-to-shore distribution system that will further increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” he said in a statement.

But high-ranking Hamas political official  Khalil al-Hayya told the AP  that the group would consider Israeli forces — or forces from any other country — stationed by the pier to guard it as “an occupying force and aggression,” and that the militant group would resist it.

On Wednesday, a mortar attack targeted the port site, though no one was hurt.

Associated Press reporters Tara Copp and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

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• Russian destinations

Saratov is a major city in southern Russia. The city was initially founded in the 16th century as a fortress to protect the southern districts of the Russian Empire. Situated on the Volga River, Saratov was a major military aircraft manufacturing site, the home of the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, and a vital part of the Soviet space program. There is a museum dedicated to Gagarin and his life. Saratov has a rich cultural life, as well - among the most famous sites is the Conservatoire designed in a Neo-Gothic style as well as the Drama Theatre named after Ivan Slonov, one of the oldest theatres in Russia. For those interested in art there is the Radischev Art Museum with more than 20,000 exhibits. Of other interest, the community of Volga Germans was centred in the Saratov region. In the early 20th century over 800,000 ethnic Germans made their home in this area preserving many of their German customs.

There are flights and trains from Moscow to Saratov, but is normally visited as part of a river cruise. The embankments along the Volga give some spectacular views including the ‘Old Bridge’ which was the longest bridge in Europe until the 1980s.

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