Solomon Islands
Photo: imago/ Nature Picture Library
The USCGC Oliver Henry was on patrol in the South Pacific as part of an international mission to prevent illegal fishing and planned to anchor in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands.
The ship was to be refueled there.
But apparently it didn't get permission to do so, according to the US Coast Guard office in Honolulu.
In the absence of any response from the Solomon authorities, the ship was diverted to Papua New Guinea instead.
"The US State Department is in contact with the Solomon Islands government and expects that all future permits will be granted to US ships," Kristin Kam, spokeswoman for the US Coast Guard in Hawaii, told Reuters in an emailed statement .
The British Royal Navy declined to comment on reports that the British patrol ship HMS Spey was denied access to the port on the main island of Guadalcanal.
It also takes part in Operation Island Chief to monitor illegal fishing in the economic restricted zones of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
"Ship routes are constantly being reviewed and changing is routine," a Royal Navy spokesman said in an emailed statement.
'For security reasons we are not going into details.' The Royal Navy spokesman went on to say that they were looking forward to visiting the Solomon Islands at a later date.
In Operation Island Chief, the United States, Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand are providing air and surface surveillance to combat illegal fishing in the Pacific island nations participating in the operation, including the Solomon Islands.
17 Pacific states have come together to form the Pacific Islands Forum.
The marine surveillance center is based in Solomon's capital, Honiara.
Close cooperation with Beijing for six months
Since April of this year, the Solomon Islands have been working closely with China on security policy, which is thereby expanding its influence in the South Pacific.
The pact struck at the time raised fears that a Chinese naval base could be built 2,000 kilometers off Australia's north-east coast.
A Chinese military presence in the Solomon Islands would not only put the country on the doorstep of Australia and New Zealand, but also close to the US territory of Guam with its military bases.
The Solomon Islands and Chinese governments have consistently ruled out a Chinese military base on the islands.
According to media reports, the Chinese Navy's security agreement apparently allows ships to dock and refuel in the Solomon Islands.
mgo/AP/Reuters