Commercial salvors working alongside the U.S. Coast Guard have removed the last recoverable fuel from the grounded barge Defiant at the entrance to San Juan’s harbor, the service confirmed Tuesday.
Defiant broke away from its towing vessel on 9 February in foul weather and grounded later that day beside the harbor entrance at the foot of the El Morro fortress. The barge came to rest between a manmade breakwater and a riprap revetment, with its hull contacting rocks at both ends.
The U.S. Coast Guard said about 1,000 gallons of leftover fuel were believed to be on board at the time of grounding. The amount of any release is unknown, but environmental effects are expected to be minimal.
A unified command—bringing together the U.S. Coast Guard, the barge operator and local authorities—has been established to manage the response. A separate investigation is examining what led to the breakaway and grounding.
The barge had been used to deliver fuel to the USVI, which depends on imported refined products for power generation. The territory’s power authority told local media that a replacement barge has been secured and the grounding is not expected to affect the local economy.
Work to remove Defiant has been delayed by seasonal swell on Puerto Rico’s north shore. The commercial salvor has submitted a plan to remove the tank barge, but the Coast Guard said the location is difficult and five of the vessel’s ten tanks have been breached, complicating any potential refloat attempt.
