The Reliance Shipping & Logistics Ltd, shipping agent
of the arrested tug AM Accord (IMO 9166132) has filed a claim of USD1.8m
in the local court against the owner of the tug. The AM Accord currently
remained outside port limits, which was serving to delay the resolution of
litigation.
According to the Chittagong Port Authority of Bangladesh,
the AM Accord was arrested on the order of the local High Court on September
1st. The tug was expected to arrive at the outer anchorage of the port on Sep
4.
The tug was arrested at the request of Reliance Shipping
& Logistics Ltd of Bangladesh for recovery of expenses incurred by them for
the supply of bunker fuel and other /rescue facilities, at the outer
port limit of Chittagong Port.
Reliance said that it had loaded 13.000 tonnes of boulder-stone
on barge AZ Qingdao in India on April 14th as part of a
contract to supply a power plant project in Chittagong. However, after loading
the cargo, they learned that the AM Accord bollard pull power was insufficient
to tow the barge. The Indian MMD refused to issue towing permission.
As a result it took until June 30th to take the barge out
of port. The tug and barges took 13 days to arrive at Chittagong’s outer port
limits owners. The Master did not send any ETA notice to any party because (it
has been alleged) the /Master had planned to make a P&I insurance
claim against the tug and barge.
On June 13th the barge drifted to the shore of
Bhola (Char Nizam), a remote island in the Meghna river delta in the Bhola
district of Bangladesh. The tug took shelter 30nm away from the barge, but did
not file a report, it was claimed.
Meanwhile, agent Reliance Shipping & Logistics Ltd
received a letter from DG shipping & MMD asking for an update about the
convoy and the salvage plan. Reliance contacted the /supplier, charterer
& owners. Finally, they agreed to send a local tug to help the Am Accord to
refloat the Az Qingdao on July 18th. Although reliance provided
bunkers, provisions, salvage tugs and other materials, it claimed that the
owner failed to pay them.
1997-built, 447 gt, Singapore-flagged AM Accord is owned
by Tomini Offshore Pte Ltd care of manager Alphard Maritime Pte Ltd of
Singapore.
