Judge denies petition for stay from Puerto Rico Port Agency

Judge denies petition for stay from Puerto Rico Port Agency An administrative law judge has reaffirmed his decision to deny a petition of Puerto Rico Ports Authority (PRPA) for a stay pending its appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
   Judge Clay Guthridge's decision combined three separate complaints before the Federal Maritime Commission that PRPA had violated the Shipping Act of 1984. In all three actions the PRPA is claiming sovereign immunity as an arm of the government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
   The FMC has ruled against the PRPA on that issue and said complaints from Odyssea Stevedoring of Puerto Rico, International Shipping Agency, and San Antonio Maritime/Antilles Cement can go forward. The nature of those complaints were not addressed in the most recent decision.
   The judge did authorize the PRPA to immediately appeal its decision to the FMC.