Unified command formed after barge grounding off San Juan Harbor

Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, and the barge’s owner have established a unified command to coordinate the response to a barge grounded outside San Juan Harbor.

The Defiant, a 265-foot barge, was being towed inbound to San Juan Harbor from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, just before the incident occurred. The barge grounded at approximately noon Monday. The cause of the grounding is under investigation.

There have been no reports of crew injuries or pollution, officials said. A 200-yard safety zone has been established around the vessel.

The Port of San Juan remains open to vessel traffic, as the barge is not obstructing the harbor entrance or navigable waterway. Port operations remain unaffected, and vessel traffic is continuing as normal.

The barge holds approximately 1,000 gallons of residual fuel, which responders are monitoring to prevent environmental impact.

The barge’s owner is working with the Coast Guard to develop a salvage plan.

“Weather is playing a significant role in this response,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ray Lopez, the Coast Guard incident commander. “The unified command and barge owner are working diligently to safely remove the threat to the environment. We ask the public to steer clear of the area so response crews can work uninterrupted.”

Responders are operating under a small craft advisory, with seas of approximately 10 feet and winds of about 10 mph.

The Coast Guard and its partners said they will continue to provide updates as the situation develops.