DNER office processes historic number of boat tags in 4 months
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) Secretary Waldemar Quiles Pérez announced on Tuesday that from Feb. 2 to June 15, the Office of the Commissioner of Navigation has processed some 14,332 purchases and/or renewals of navigation rights for vessels, better known as “marbetes.”
Likewise, some 896 boats have been registered.
“Since last year we have implemented a series of initiatives aimed at making the process of purchasing and/or renewing boat tags faster and more transparent,” the DNER secretary said in a written statement. “This effort has generated an expedited process that has managed to establish a historic number of 14,332 in procedures in just over four months.”
Article 9.5 of Law 430-2000, better known as the “Puerto Rico Navigation and Water Safety Act,” establishes that “the tag of every vessel shall be renewed annually, prior to the payment of the annual fee to the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary shall establish a staggered system for the payment of fees and renewal of tags, as established in this article.”
“I extend my thanks to the Office of the Commissioner of Navigation work team, including the commissioner, Luis Márques, for the great effort they have made in streamlining internal processes and making this impressive number of tag renewals for vessels viable,” Quiles added.
“We call on boat owners to subscribe to the parameters established in [...] the ‘Puerto Rico Navigation and Water Safety Act,’ including the renewal of tags, as well as all regulations for the safety of bathers and manatees when they navigate those areas,” the secretary said.
Citizens are encouraged to seek answers to their questions by calling 787-999-2200, extension 2911, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.