(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) — The unified command managing response efforts for the grounded barge Defiant announced the successful refloating and removal of the vessel from the Castillo San Felipe del Morro shoreline on Wednesday.
The unified command said response personnel and contracted salvors refloated Defiant at 2:22 a.m., just before the arrival of high tide.
Salvage crews and tugboat operators pre-positioned three tugboats and completed all the preparations, including the pressurization of all cargo tanks, voids and compartments in the barge. The tugboat Lobo Grande successfully pulled the barge off the rocks with the assistance of the incoming tide.
When the vessel refloated, salvors and the unified command responders assessed the condition of the barge, ensuring the vessel was stable, floating properly and that pressure was holding steady prior to the captain of the port authorizing the continued transit.
During refloating, Coast Guard and partner agency marine units assisted with maintaining a 500-yard safety zone throughout the barge’s transit inside San Juan Harbor until its destination at Pier 16, where it is currently moored.
The Port of San Juan resumed normal operations and is open to all vessel traffic.
“We would like to thank unified command partner agencies, the Puerto Rico government and all federal agencies who collaborated in this effort,” said Capt. Luis Rodriguez, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander and captain of the port. “Working together, each played a vital role in safeguarding the safety of the San Juan port maritime transportation system, protecting the marine environment and ensuring the safety of all responders.”
“The removal of the 265-foot barge from the mouth of San Juan Bay was a highly complex and sensitive operation,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ray Lopez, Coast Guard unified commander for the Defiant barge grounding response. “The salvors understood the challenges and took all necessary precautions to ensure the safe removal of the barge, and its relocation to a facility for assessment and repair without incident. We are truly appreciative and grateful to all unified command partner agencies, crews and personnel who took part in this effort. The excellent work and technical expertise from the salvors ensured a successful refloat.”
Agencies and marine industry companies participating in this response: U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan, U.S. Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response Team, Station San Juan, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, Puerto Rico Ports Authority, Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau, San Juan municipal police and fire department, Puerto Rico Cultural Institute, Harbor Bunkering Corp., and Donjon-SMIT.
– U.S. Coast Guard
