The Mystery Spill at Port of San Juan: Coast Guard Solves the Case

After months of investigation, the long-running mystery spill at the Port of San Juan has finally been solved by the Coast Guard. The culprit, an aging and badly corroded steel pipe leaking heavy black oil into the harbor, has been identified and contained.

On April 11, during a routine patrol in San Juan Harbor, Station San Juan discovered oil pollution in the water between piers 2 and 3. Samples were collected from the leaking pipe and sent to the Coast Guard Marine Safety Lab for analysis. The results, received on May 5, confirmed that the oil had similar characteristics to previous spills at Pier 9 in 2024 and Pier 4 in 2021, indicating a common source of petroleum oil for all three incidents.

To address the leak, the Coast Guard utilized the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and contracted Clean Harbor Environmental Services as the spill response contractor. On April 15, Clean Harbor crews successfully plugged the aging pipe and placed containment booms around it to prevent further spread of the oil.

Currently, Sector San Juan and Clean Harbor teams are actively monitoring the site and replacing sorbent material as needed. A subsurface assessment is planned to identify any additional sources of contamination and develop a comprehensive cleanup plan to prevent future leaks and protect the waterfront environment.

“The source of the oil discharge is now contained, allowing normal port operations to continue at Piers 2 and 3 as our investigation and response efforts continue,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ray Lopez, Coast Guard Sector San Juan Incident Management Division chief.