San Juan Cruise Port assures it's working to restore Pier 3 West

San Juan Cruise Port said it is working to restore service to Pier 3 West after the US Coast Guard declared the facility remains closed to cruise ships until further notice.

Second Symphony of the Seas cancellation

This forced the cancellation of a call by Symphony of the Seas on its upcoming Dec. 1 cruise from PortMiami.

In a note to passengers, Royal Caribbean said: 'Due to technical issues with the pier and the work that must be done and cleared by the USCG for accepting a ship our size, we'll have to adjust our itinerary for our sailing.' Symphony's revised route also drops St. Maarten. Instead, the ship will call Labadee and Falmouth (Jamaica).

It is the second time Symphony of the Seas has to bypass San Juan due to the pier issue. The ship's Nov. 17 cruise from Miami was also impacted.

Mooring dolphin damaged in April

In April, USCG 'established an operational control disallowing cruise ship operations on San Juan Harbor’s Pier 3 West, following an incident at the facility which resulted in the loss of a dolphin mooring structure just off the main pier.'

According to a local media report, that incident involved MSC Meraviglia.

Studies awaited

USCG this week said it awaits 'pending requested satisfactory assessment studies followed by a Coast Guard on-site inspection of the facility.'

Related:Clarivette Diaz new GM of San Juan Cruise Port

Following the April incident, USCG issued a Facility Inspection Requirements form to San Juan Cruise Port and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority notifying the established operational control until satisfactory mooring and berthing studies on the structure were provided for evaluation.

'Once the satisfactory assessment studies are presented to the Coast Guard, Sector San Juan Prevention port facilities personnel will conduct an on-site inspection of Pier 3 West to corroborate the findings in the assessments and determine whether the operational control may be lifted. To date, the Coast Guard has not received the requested studies, and the operational control remains in effect.'

Pier handles the largest cruise ships

Said Capt. Luis J. Rodriguez, commander of USCG Sector San Juan and captain of the port – San Juan: 'San Juan’s Pier 3 West receives the largest cruise ships in the world. Since the loss of the facility's mooring structure, Coast Guard Prevention personnel have been actively working with the San Juan Cruise Port and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority to determine if the structure remains sound for cruise ship operations.

'We understand the inconvenience of this matter, however, it is critical we ensure the safety of the port, the cruise ships and the thousands of people who operate on or visit the island through this port facility.  My team stands ready to move ahead immediately once we receive the awaited studies from San Juan Cruise Port and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority.'

Working 'diligently'

On Thursday, San Juan Cruise Port, a public-private partnership between Global Ports Holding and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, issued a statement that it is working 'diligently with regulatory agencies to restore service to Pier 3 West.'

The statement added: ''We deeply value and appreciate the unwavering support of these agencies, whose expertise is vital in safeguarding this essential sector of the economy. We also extend our gratitude to the cruise lines for their ongoing understanding and cooperation as we work towards the prompt and safe reopening of the pier.'