NEW ORLEANS – The owners of two charter barges for rent are filing suit against a renter and cleaner for allegedly not paying invoices and violating contract terms.
River City Towing Services Inc. filed a lawsuit on March 7 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Cradon Energy LTD, Cradon Management Inc., Crown Financial LLC, Crest Energy Partners LP, Crest Energy Partners GP LLC, and K-Solv LP over alleged breach of contract and negligence.
On or about Jan. 2, 2015, River City Towing and Cradon allegedly entered into two agreements whereby Cradon would charter two bareboat barges, the RCT 3 and RCT 7, owned by River City for a rate of $1,000 per boat, per day until the barges are returned to their home port in Geismar. In the terms, River City allegedly retains the rights to perform cleaning on the barge once they are returned.
Cradon allegedly took possession of the barges in January 2015 through June 2015 to transport mixed reclaimed crude oil. For those months, River City allegedly submitted eight separate invoices to Cradon totaling $141,765.90. The company is allegedly still waiting for payment from Cradon.
River City also alleges that Cradon and Crest authorized K-Solv to perform cleaning duties on barge RCT 3, which, according to River City, violated the terms of the agreement. The alleged invoice for cleaning services by K-Solv has not been paid by Cradon or Crest and, as a result, K-Solv has unlawfully filed a maritime lien on barge RCT 3, according to River City. The total alleged amount of the lien totals to $130,720.
River City Towing Services is now suing for amount of the invoices, including interests for all damages allowable, for a declaration invalidating K-Solv’s alleged maritime lien and that the lien be withdrawn, and the cost of the suit along with attorney fees. It is represented by Marc C. Hebert and Jefferson R. Tillery from Jones Walker LLP in New Orleans and Justin J. Marocco from the Jones Walker LLP office in Baton Rouge
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-01940-SM-SS