The tanker Amur River did not begin maneuvers on Sunday morning to enter San Juan Bay as announced, and its arrival at the port to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power generators is on hold, New Fortress Energy (NFE) confirmed. A company spokesperson initially said the entry had not happened because of "legal matters."
In written statements, NFE said a recent order from the Energy Bureau (Negociado de Energía) has created uncertainty about payments for the natural gas it supplies under the contract. NFE said the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (AEE) itself asked for clarification on how the order should apply, and that resolving the matter requires the intervention of the relevant authorities.
El Nuevo Día learned that the dispute has been raised before the Energy Bureau, which said any filed documents would not be available until Monday. NFE said its preparation and readiness remain and that authorities must clarify the matter promptly so it does not become another obstacle to natural gas supply, which it says helps reduce generation costs in Puerto Rico.
The ship's entry had been reported to the federal court the week before, under agreements reached in the court dispute between NFE and the San Juan Bay Pilots Association. The pilots said they received a request for pilotage services to bring the Amur River in on Sunday, October 4, at 6:00 a.m., and were ready to provide it in daylight hours.
The plan had been kept after the Coast Guard raised concerns on Saturday about the navigability analysis NFE presented.