The San Juan Bay Pilots Association (Asociación de Prácticos de la Bahía de San Juan) said it has never refused to guide the vessel Amur River, which remains offshore carrying liquefied natural gas destined for power generation at the San Juan power plant (Central San Juan). The group says the dispute stems from safety concerns over the ship’s dimensions, not a refusal to work.
Pilots note the Amur River has a beam of 44.24 meters, while the standard parameter for this operation is 43.40 meters — an 84-centimeter difference they say must be evaluated given the bay’s specific conditions. The dispute involves New Fortress Energy (NFE), the natural gas supplier for Central San Juan, and has reached federal court amid concern over fuel supply for electricity generation.
Pilots cited past operations with vessels Energos Maria and Energos Princess as reference points for size and operational parameters. The association has set three safety-related conditions for the maneuver, including tugboat availability and capacity, and measures to reduce risk during entry and docking. The case is before federal Judge Silvia Carreño Coll.
Failure to receive the Amur River’s cargo could force reliance on diesel, an alternate fuel used when natural gas supply is unavailable.