NEW ORLEANS – The owners of a cargo carrier are taking Dawson Vessels to court over alleged damages arising from a collision.
Xiamen Ocean Shipping Co. and Du An Cheng Maritime Limited filed a suit on Feb. 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District Court of Louisiana against Dawson Vessels Inc., doing business as Self Towing Co., and the tug Bill Jr. over what they claim was negligence on the part of the defendants.
The plaintiffs assert that on Feb. 12, 2015, the Du An Cheng was moored and secured at a Cargrill Grain Elevator silo at Reserve and was loading grain cargoes when Attitude, a floating rig pushed by the tug Bill Jr., was bought to the portside of Du An Cheng to load a cargo of soybean meal. The plaintiffs allege that Attitude, during its final approach to Du An Cheng, struck and damaged the port quarter shell plating of Du An Cheng. Attitude was allegedly still being pushed by Bill Jr. at that time. As a result of the collision, plaintiffs claim they have sustained losses, damages, and significant expenses due to repairs, inspection costs and loss of use.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages of at least $266,763, interests, costs and attorney fees, and any other rewards deemed just by the court. They are represented by James H. Roussel, Dawei Zhang, and Christopher M. Hannan from Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz PC in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-01028-LMA-DEK