The oil tanker Silver Valerie struck another vessel belonging to the company Crowley at the port of San Juan on Tuesday, after dragging its anchor and shifting from its position while anchored. According to the port pilots’ group, one of its members had moved the Silver Valerie that morning from the Puerto Rico Energy Dock to anchorage E. The vessel was scheduled to depart at 4:30 PM, so a second pilot service had been coordinated.
Before that service took place, the pilots received an emergency call alerting that the tanker was dragging its anchor, the maritime term for when a vessel drifts from its position because the anchor cannot hold it fixed. Faced with the situation, the ship’s local agent was contacted to coordinate tugboat assistance, while the pilot on duty boarded the vessel to handle the emergency. 'The incident was reported to the United States Coast Guard and remains under investigation by the appropriate authorities,' a spokesperson for the pilots’ group said in written statements.
The group also called on the public to avoid speculation about the circumstances while authorities conduct the investigation.