The Puerto Rico Court of Appeals recently ruled on a significant case involving San Juan Bay Pilots Corporation and the Asociación de Navieros de Puerto Rico, Inc. The court dismissed the case due to a lack of jurisdiction, which affects the implementation of safety and navigation guidelines in the Port of San Juan. This ruling could have important implications for maritime safety regulations in Puerto Rico.
The case, officially titled Asociación De Navieros De Puerto Rico, Inc. v. San Juan Bay Pilots Corp., was filed on June 23, 2026, under docket number TA2026RA00330. The court's decision comes after San Juan Bay Pilots sought to challenge a provisional order issued by the Puerto Rico Commission of Piloting, which required them to cease implementing their safety guidelines until further administrative hearings could be held.
The parties involved are the San Juan Bay Pilots Corporation, which provides piloting services in the Port of San Juan, and the Asociación de Navieros de Puerto Rico, a group representing shipping companies. The dispute arose when the Asociación filed a complaint against San Juan Bay, alleging that the process for adopting their new Safety and Navigation Guidelines did not comply with the legal requirements set forth in Puerto Rico's Administrative Procedure Act. The Asociación requested a provisional order to stop the implementation of these guidelines until the matter could be resolved in court.
On June 18, 2026, the Commission of Piloting issued a provisional order requiring San Juan Bay to stop enforcing their guidelines. This order was based on the Commission's preliminary finding that the guidelines had not been adopted in accordance with the required legal procedures. Following this, San Juan Bay filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals, arguing that the Commission had made several errors in issuing the order.
In its ruling, the court stated, "the resolution and order issued by the Commission is not final and therefore is not subject to review by this court." The panel of judges, including President Judge Brignoni Mártir, Judge Salgado Schwarz, and Judge Aldebol Mora, determined that they lacked jurisdiction to hear the case because the order in question was provisional and did not meet the criteria for a final resolution.
The court explained that jurisdiction is essential for a tribunal to consider and decide a case. It noted that the order issued by the Commission was not a final order but rather a provisional measure that required further administrative proceedings. The court emphasized that it could only review final orders issued by administrative agencies, as defined by the law.
The court's decision means that San Juan Bay Pilots must continue to comply with the Commission's provisional order until the administrative hearing scheduled for June 25, 2026, takes place. The Commission will determine whether to maintain, modify, or revoke the provisional order based on the evidence and arguments presented at that hearing.
This ruling has significant implications for maritime safety in Puerto Rico. It underscores the importance of following proper regulatory procedures when establishing safety guidelines. The dismissal of the case due to lack of jurisdiction also highlights the need for parties to exhaust all administrative remedies before seeking judicial intervention.
Moving forward, the San Juan Bay Pilots Corporation may still have options for addressing their concerns about the Commission's order. They can participate in the upcoming administrative hearing and present their case. Depending on the outcome of that hearing, they may seek further legal action if they believe their rights are being infringed upon.
As of now, there are no indications that the ruling will be appealed, as the court has already dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction. However, the situation may evolve depending on the results of the administrative hearing and any subsequent actions taken by the parties involved.