LNG tanker Amur River finally enters San Juan Bay after weeks of delays, regulatory disputes
By THE STAR STAFF
The liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Amur River entered San Juan Bay on Tuesday morning, restoring a critical supply of fuel for Puerto Rico’s San Juan power complex after nearly a month of delays, weather setbacks and escalating regulatory disputes.
The U.S. Coast Guard authorized the vessel’s entry early Tuesday once wind speeds dropped below the 10‑knot safety threshold required for maneuvering. The tanker had been unable to enter the bay on Monday due to high winds, according to preliminary reports. New Fortress Energy (NFE), operator of the LNG terminal, coordinated the entry and confirmed that the maneuver complied with established safety parameters.
The tanker’s arrival ends a prolonged standoff that began in mid‑September, when the Amur River first attempted to dock but remained offshore due to disputes involving harbor pilots, vessel size and federal safety guarantees. The vessel had been anchored off Puerto Rico’s north coast since Sept. 16.
The delays intensified after the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) issued a Sept. 30 order directing the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) to withhold $17.6 million in payments to NFE over alleged supply deficiencies. NFE responded by warning that the order created uncertainty over future LNG deliveries and said it could not commit additional gas shipments until the payment dispute was resolved.
The PREB’s order deferred recovery of the disputed fuel costs from customers and barred PREPA from disbursing funds tied to alleged noncompliance by NFE. The dispute left San Juan units 5 and 6 burning costlier diesel for weeks, a shift that Genera PR estimated had already added roughly $14 million in extra fuel costs by late September.
Lawmakers have urged the government to take NFE to court, arguing that the company cannot legally withhold LNG deliveries over payment disagreements. Rep. José “Cheito” Hernández Concepción warned that prolonged delays could increase electricity bills in the next quarterly adjustment.
The Amur River is carrying LNG destined for San Juan’s combined‑cycle units 5 and 6 and temporary generation units in San Juan and Palo Seco. The tanker has a total capacity of some 149,700 cubic meters of LNG, though the depth limitations at the Puerto Nuevo berth restrict vessels to arriving at no more than 60% of their full load.
