Coast Guard Cutter Docks in Ho Chi Minh City
The USCGC Bertholf is the first U.S. military vessel to visit the city in more than 20 years, on a five-day goodwill stop.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Military
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The U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Bertholf docked at Saigon Gateway Port in Ho Chi Minh City on November 1, 2026. The cutter will conduct a five-day visit strengthening ties with the Vietnam Coast Guard.
Why it matters
The visit aims to strengthen ties between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the country's maritime law enforcement agencies. The U.S. and Vietnam also work together to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The cutter, designated WMSL-750, is making its first visit to the city since a July 2006 U.S. Navy goodwill stop. The stay is planned for five days.
The players
USCGC Bertholf
A U.S. Coast Guard national security cutter currently on a multi-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.
Jennifer Wicks
The U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, who attended the welcoming ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City.
The details
The crew will pay courtesy calls on city leaders and the Coast Guard Region 3 Command. Planned activities include diplomatic engagement, professional exchanges on maritime operations, and friendly sports competitions with Coast Guard Region 3 personnel.
Timeline
July 2006: Last U.S. Navy goodwill visit to Ho Chi Minh City.
November 1, 2026: USCGC Bertholf docks at Saigon Gateway Port.
November 1–5, 2026: Five-day visit to Ho Chi Minh City.
Season Trajectory
The cutter's arrival follows the July 2006 U.S. Navy goodwill visit, the most recent such stop in the city. It marks a renewed step in a more than 20-year gap in U.S. military port calls to Ho Chi Minh City.
The five-day visit includes friendly sports competitions with Coast Guard Region 3 personnel. For readers tracking U.S.-Vietnam maritime cooperation, the visit is a concrete sign of bilateral exchanges on fisheries enforcement.
The takeaway
Port visits like this one are a practical measure of defense and law enforcement cooperation between the two countries. Readers can track follow-up exchanges on IUU fishing enforcement as the Indo-Pacific deployment continues.
Further reading
For more on U.S. military engagement in the region, see the Military section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus).
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