Shipping company sues after ship collides with another ship

NEW ORLEANS - A Louisiana shipping company has filed a lawsuit against another shipping company following the collision of two vessels.

Iberia Marine Services filed suit against Blanchard Contractors and A&S Marine on April 12 in federal court in New Orleans.

The alleged incident occurred on April 17, 2011 as the M/V Mr. J.O. was moored stationary in the Grand Isle Shipyards dock in Port Venice. The M/V Ally Savannah was attempting to maneuver into slip 2 at the dock while pushing several barges, when the vessel lost power to the port engine, the suit claims.

The vessel allided with the M/V Mr. J.O. on the port side, it says.

The defendant is accused of careless, inattentiveness and negligence by failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to safely pass along the port side of the vessel and for failing to signal other vessels of the allusion, failing to slow, stop, and reverse engines when they saw there was danger of an allusion, failing to properly maintain the engines on board the Savannah, specifically the port engine, and for failing to train the vessel captain in proper emergency evasive procedures that could have prevented the accident.

Iberia Marine Services states that the allusion caused $10,000 worth of damages to the M/V Mr. J.O., more than $7,000 in costs associated with the repair of the vessel, and more than $11,000 for the loss of use of the vessel.

The plaintiff is asking the court for an award of $27,000 in damages, plus interest, court costs and attorneys' fees.

Iberia Marine Services is represented by Jack E. Jowers of Miguez Law Firm in New Iberia.

U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:12-cv-00939