New Fortress Energy (NFE) officials said on Tuesday that they had begun efforts to get the tanker Amur River into San Juan bay with its cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG), after three weeks of disputes with the port’s pilots and Puerto Rico government authorities. The standoff has forced the northern-area thermoelectric plants to rely mostly on diesel, raising generation costs.
Carlos Faris, NFE’s terminal manager, and attorney Alberto Castañer spoke at a House of Representatives public hearing, but their statements confused legislators because the chain of approvals needed for the ship’s entry remained unclear. Faris told the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that since 8:30 AM. Tuesday he had contacted the San Juan Bay Pilots Association to ask about times when escort service to the terminal dock could be provided.
It was first suggested the contact was by email, but Association president Kenneth Díaz said no such communication was on record; Castañer then said it was a phone call. Captain Díaz explained that NFE, through its shipping agent, must request entry at a specific time, and the pilots then confirm it or offer an alternate window.
At the request of committee chair José “Cheíto” Hernández, Faris stepped out briefly and, on returning, said the formal request to the pilots could not be filed because NFE had not received authorization from its corporate bosses in New York.