Kent Reliant News

The U.S. Coast Guard has stated that the M/V KENT RELIANT is scheduled to be refloated today. Most of the cargo has been removed from the ship, grounded off San Juan Harbor.

The Coast Guard approved the salvage and oil removal plans earlier this week for the M/V Kent Reliant which has been grounded outside San Juan harbor since September 18. The salvage operation will begin with the removal of all the vessel’s oil products which is expected to last two days then the partial removal of cargo is expected to begin. A Protective boom has been deployed and staged in environmentally sensitive areas around Isla de Cabras and Isla de Esperanza. The salvage company, Titan Marine, was forced to delay the start of offloading procedures for the heavy fuel oil today due to poor weather conditions. The primary considerations of the response coordinators, Federal On-Scene Commander, Coast Guard Capt.

Commercial tugs come to the assistance of the M/V Kent Reliant, aground outside the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Panamanian-flagged freighter ran aground while approaching the channel entrance early in the morning Sept. 18 . None of the 17 crewmembers aboard were injured, and no pollution has been observed from the vessel. Coast Guard personnel from Marine Safety Office San Juan are onboard monitoring the safety of the vessel and its crew, as well as investigating the cause of the grounding. San Juan Harbor remains open.

The M/V Kent Reliant was successfully refloated yesterday at afternoon after a thirteen-day salvage and response operation. The 522-ft. cargo ship, grounded outside San Juan harbor September 18. Titan Maritime salvage company removed most of the fuel oil from the vessel, and oil containment booms were pre-staged in environmentally sensitive areas to ensure minimal impact on the marine environment. Next enough cargo was removed to lighten the vessel so that it could safely be pulled from its grounded position.