Rep. Aponte: Navy Frontier Pier needed to help relieve vessel traffic.
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
Rep. José Aponte Hernández on Wednesday asked the Convention Center District Authority and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority to keep the pier in Puerta de Tierra known as Navy Frontier Pier open and operational.
“This isn’t new. Since 2019, I’ve been speaking out about the need to keep the Navy Frontier pier open and in optimal condition to receive both cruise ships and cargo vessels,” Aponte said. “Today’s news [regarding vessel traffic congestion] underscores the need for more port facilities in San Juan Bay. In December 2024, this facility accommodated the Nautica cruise ship because all other docks in San Juan were either in use or temporarily closed by the U.S. Coast Guard. It can be done. This dock will minimize security concerns in San Juan Bay, through which over 80 percent of all products and goods consumed on the island enter.”
The veteran lawmaker’s remarks come after the United States Coast Guard warned two vessels, Water Spirit 2 and Admiral Pride, on May 1 for anchoring in the San Antonio channel of San Juan Bay, which put the transit of other vessels at risk should they suffer any mishap.
The Navy Frontier Pier, located on Fernández Juncos Avenue in Puerta de Tierra, near Old San Juan, was a strategic port point, designed to be used for multiple purposes, allowing the entry of cruise ships and cargo ships.
“The Convention Center District Authority has evaluated proposals for the construction of a commercial-residential project at the Navy Frontier,” Aponte noted. “However, actions such as those that occurred on May 1st, which jeopardized the flow of goods to the island, must be reevaluated, as well as the decision to permanently close the facility. Given that the island is heavily dependent on tourism and cargo, spaces should be expanded, not restricted.”
Ownership of the pier was transferred to the Convention Center District Authority during the administration of Gov. Luis Fortuño (2009-2012). Following the transfer, an unsolicited proposal emerged to develop a commercial, office and residential building, which has limited, and could permanently limit, the much-needed port use of the facility, the former House speaker recounted.