According to a report by The Times of India, a foreign cargo ship has been ordered by the Orissa High Court to be detained at Paradip Port due to outstanding vessel repair fees of 4.272 million rupees (approximately 350,000 Chinese yuan). The detention order was issued late Tuesday local time and executed on Wednesday at the Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT).
The order for detention was issued by Judge Narasingh under the court’s admiralty jurisdiction after an international shipping agency filed a petition claiming the vessel’s operator had failed to pay for services rendered. Immediate action was required as the vessel was about to depart.
The Kujang court facilitated the order with the assistance of local officials and police personnel. Additionally, Superintendent Smruti Ranjan Kar confirmed that security around the port had been strengthened in light of the incident.
The shipping agency is seeking to recover $48,399.82 (approximately 350,000 Chinese yuan) plus interest at an annual rate of 18%. The High Court acknowledged that failing to detain the vessel could jeopardize the integrity of their case. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for October 10.
The 15-year-old, Malta-flagged bulk carrier is 189.9 meters long and 32.26 meters wide. It was detained while berthed at PICT port loading iron plates.
The detention was carried out under the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act, 2017, which empowers Indian High Courts to resolve maritime disputes in line with global standards.
In just the past few months, four vessels have faced similar detentions at Paradip Port due to commercial disputes. Three were released after court-mediated settlements, and the fate of this vessel will be determined by next week’s hearing.
The shipping agency has been operating normally since its establishment in Cyprus in 2014 and has offices in major ports worldwide, including those within India.
Compiled by Shipping Online.
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