USS Nimitz, one of the largest warships in the world, anchored in Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, earlier this month. (Photo by Fabio Teixeira/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Anadolu via Getty Images
The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) will arrive in the Port of Kingston, Jamaica, on Monday and then spend five days anchored in the Caribbean island’s capital as part of its Southern Seas 2026 maritime cooperation deployment. The oldest active-duty nuclear-powered supercarrier departed from Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Wash., in March as part of its home port shift to Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
CVN-68, which was commissioned in May 1975, completed its final overseas deployment last December, and is now scheduled to be decommissioned next March, after nearly 52 years in service.
While underway and operating in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, the USS Nimitz has visited multiple Latin American nations and taken part in joint maritime exercises with U.S. partners in the region. Jamaica is likely to be the final foreign port of call on what has been a “multinational goodwill” tour for the carrier, the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica confirmed.
“The visit of a U.S. aircraft carrier to Jamaica marks an important milestone in the longstanding partnership between our countries,” said Chargé d’Affaires Scott Renner.
“Beyond strengthening maritime cooperation and regional security, this visit creates opportunities for meaningful people-to-people connections and economic benefits for local communities,” Renner added. “We are proud to welcome these sailors to Jamaica and to continue building on the strong ties between our two nations.”
During the port call in Kingston, government officials, members of the Jamaica Defense Force, and students from local universities will be welcomed aboard the carrier to observe aircraft carrier operations. Crew members will also have an opportunity to go ashore in the Jamaican capital.
Operations in the Caribbean
As the USS Nimitz is too large to transit the Panama Canal from the Pacific to the Atlantic, the supercarrier traveled around South America by transiting the Strait of Magellan in late April.
CVN-68 arrived in the Caribbean Sea earlier this month, just as the United States Department of Justice announced it had charged former Cuban President Raúl Castro and other Cuban officials with murder for their roles in the Feb. 24, 1996, downing of two unarmed U.S. civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue over international waters.
President Donald Trump told reporters that Cuba was on the administration’s mind. The United States has maintained a near-total blockade that has resulted in extreme fuel shortages and daily power blackouts on the island.
The USS Nimitz is first U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to operate in the region since USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) was dispatched to the Middle East in February. CVN-78’s record-long deployment ended just two weeks ago, with the newest and largest supercarrier returning to Norfolk.
The Goodwill Tour Continues
In the past week, the supercarrier also welcomed delegations from Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Guyana, and Grenada, likely among the final such visits by foreign officials while the carrier was at sea.
Trinidad and Tobago government and military leaders pose for a photo alongside Nimitz Carrier Strike Group leadership
(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Tanner Orth)
“This was really awesome,” said Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Defense Wayne Sturge. “It was a signature moment of my life. The tour helped us to better understand what the U.S. does. It deepens our relationship; we appreciate all the U.S. has done for us in the region and continues to do to strengthen the relationship between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.”
The United States Navy has not announced how long the USS Nimitz could remain in the Caribbean even as no further port calls are scheduled. However, the U.S. military continues to maintain a presence in the region as part of the still ongoing Operation Southern Spear, the narcotic interdiction mission in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
The U.S. Navy’s presence will be slightly diminished in June.
It was announced earlier this week that the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), along with the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, would also return to Naval Station Norfolk, ending a 10-month deployment.
It is expected that another Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), which has been preparing for its 2026 deployment, could soon take over for LHD-7 and its amphibious ready group.
If tensions with Cuba escalate, it could result in the USS Nimitz remaining in the Caribbean, at least until LHD-3 arrives in the coming weeks.
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