A Unified Command overseeing the response to the grounding of the 265’ barge Defiant announced Wednesday that the vessel has been successfully refloated and removed from the shoreline near Castillo San Felipe del Morro at the entrance to San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico.
The barge was pulled free at approximately 2:22 a.m., following several days of preparation by contracted marine salvors and response personnel.
Salvage crews prepositioned three tugboats and pressurized the barge’s cargo tanks, voids and compartments in advance of the refloat attempt. The tug Lobo Grande ultimately pulled the barge off the rocks with assistance from the incoming tide.
Following the refloating, salvors and Unified Command personnel assessed the vessel’s condition to confirm it was stable, floating properly and maintaining internal pressure. After the inspection, the captain of the port authorized the barge’s transit within the harbor.
U.S. Coast Guard and partner agency marine units enforced a 500-yard safety zone during the movement from the harbor entrance to Pier 16, where the barge is now moored for further assessment and repairs.
The Port of San Juan has since resumed normal operations and is open to 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 J. Rodríguez, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Juan 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.”
Lt. Cmdr. Ray Lopez, Coast Guard unified commander for the response, described the evolution as complex.
“The removal of the 265-foot barge from the mouth of San Juan Bay was a highly complex and sensitive operation,” Lopez said. “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.”
Eng. Amarilys Rosario, unified commander representing the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, credited coordination among agencies and industry partners for the outcome.
“This successful operation reflects the professionalism, coordination, teamwork, and readiness of everyone involved,” Rosario said.
Agencies and industry participants involved in the response included Coast Guard Sector San Juan, the Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response Team, Station San Juan, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau, San Juan Municipal Police and Fire Department, the Puerto Rico Cultural Institute, Harbor Bunkering Corp., and salvage contractor Donjon-SMIT.
