NEW ORLEANS – A vessel owner alleges the actions of a Ukraine company cost it more than $400,000 in damages.
National Navigation Co. filed a complaint on Nov. 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Phaethon International Co. SA, Master of the M/V Young Harmony and Blue Water Shipping Co. alleging that they failed to comply with their charter agreement.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff chartered the Young Harmony to Phaethon and that Phaethon was obligated to pay for all bunkers. The suit states that Phaethon failed to pay for a bunker order in in 2014, which caused the arrest of the vessel in 2015.
The plaintiff alleges that the vessel's arrest resulted in several days of unemployment for the vessel, caused significant delay in the vessel’s return to dry dock and significant expenses to obtain legal advice and monitoring procedures. The plaintiff claims damages of at least $401,229.68.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks an order to issue process of maritime attachment and garnishment, attaching all of defendant Phaethon’s tangible or intangible property or any other funds held by the garnishees on behalf of defendant Phaethon, judgment for against defendant, plus costs, attorneys’ fees, and any other relief the court deems proper. It is represented by J. Stephen Simms and Marios J. Monopolis of Simms Showers LLP in Baltimore and C. Gordon Starling Jr. of The Law Office of Gordon Starling LLC in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-16451