Two Virgin Islands cargo ships returned to Christiansted and Tortola Friday after being barred from San Juan for allegedly blocking a vital shipping lane.
The Water Spirit 2, operated by Water Spirit Freight Services VI, conducted regular sailings between St. Croix, Tortola, St. Thomas, and Puerto Rico — until May 1 when the U.S. Coast Guard cited the ship and another vessel for blocking San Antonio Channel within the San Juan Harbor.
“Until further notice, vessels Water Spirit 2 and Admiral Pride will not be cleared to re-enter San Juan Harbor unless they demonstrate to the Coast Guard their ability to moor in accordance with well-established industry standards without impacting the safe navigation of vessels within the harbor’s finite waterways,” according to a statement from the Coast Guard.
The two boats were improperly moored in the narrow channel, according to the Coast Guard. The 1.2-mile-long waterway is one of the busiest in the Eastern Caribbean despite being only 300-to-500-feet wide. Some of the world’s largest cruise ships regularly moor “just across” from where the Admiral Pride and the Water Spirit 2 had used the med-mooring technique while obstructing the navigable channel, the statement said.
It was not clear if the vessel owners had been fined, but they could have faced fines of up to $117,608 for each day of a continuing violation, according to the statement. It was not immediately clear if Water Spirit Freight Services VI also owned the Admiral Pride, which arrived in Road Harbour Friday.
“It is critical for commercial, military, and recreational traffic to have equitable and safe access to the federal navigable waterways in the bay. While urban development has displaced some cargo operations, facilities still exist to accommodate these vital supply vessels. Laying anchor in the channel and reducing its navigable capacity is unlawful, endangers navigation, affects the local economy and puts the safety of our maritime facilities and vessels at risk,” said Capt. Luis J. Rodríguez, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Juan.
The Water Spirit website has added a statement that they no longer offer shipping to and from San Juan. A person answering the phone at their office said they were not sure when it would be able to again.
The VI Port Authority issued a statement Friday recognizing the docking restriction would significantly impact cargo transportation services between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, adversely affecting residents and local businesses.
Water Spirit Freight Services VI had offered twice weekly sailings from the USVI to San Juan and once weekly from Tortola, shipping dry goods, produce, refrigerated material, vehicles, heavy equipment, furniture, large appliances, construction materials, and fragile items, according to the company’s website.
