Salvors Finish Defueling Grounded Barge at San Juan's Harbor Entrance

The U.S. Coast Guard and commercial salvors have completed the removal of the last bits of recoverable fuel from the grounded barge at the entrance to San Juan's harbor, the service confirmed Tuesday.

The barge Defiant broke away from its towing vessel on February 9 in foul weather. It ran aground that afternoon at a position next to San Juan's harbor entrance, right at the foot of the El Morro fortress. The barge landed between a manmade breakwater and a riprap revetment, and its hull was in contact with rocks on both ends.

The barge was used to deliver fuel to the USVI, which is reliant on shipments of refined products for power generation. The power authority for the territory told local media that the transportation provider has secured a replacement barge and that the grounding is not expected to impact the local economy.

Salvage efforts have been slowed by heavy seasonal swell affecting the north shore of Puerto Rico. The commercial salvor has submitted a plan for removing the tank barge, but it will not be easy; the location is difficult, and five out of the vessel's ten tanks have been breached, the Coast Guard told St. Thomas Source - adding complexity for any potential refloat attempt.

The barge had an estimated 1,000 gallons of leftover fuel in its tanks at the time of grounding, and while the amount of any release is unknown, it is expected to have minimal effects on the environment.

The Coast Guard has formed a unified command with the barge operator and with local authorities to oversee the response operation. An investigation into the cause of the barge's breakaway and grounding is under way.