Asia/Pacific News
ING Arrests National Navigation Panamax in India Over OW Bunker Bill
Esna, a 71,600 DWT bulk carrier owned by Eygpt-based National Navigation Co. (NNC) has been arrested in the port of Dahej, India after ING Bank (ING) filed a lawsuit to recover $431,200 for bunkers supplied to the vessel by OW Bunker in October 2014, TradeWinds reports.
A lawyer representing ING is reported to have told the Gujarat high court that the Dutch bank holds a "maritime claim in respect of fuel oil, gasoil, barging charges against the defendant-vessel."
Justice Nilay V Anjaria of the high court is said to have ordered NNC to place a security deposit of $631,151, which includes administrative costs, in order to have the ship released.
The case is scheduled to be heard next month on January 28, 2016.
VesselsValue.com value the Panamax bulk carrier at $3.67 million, while AIS data indicates she is still at berth in Dahej.
The Esna arrest is the latest in a series by the bank, with Ship & Bunker reporting in September that ING was ramping up its arrest activity as it seeks to reclaim monies owed to now-defunct OW Bunker.
In September, Ship & Bunker reported that three product tankers had been arrested by ING. as part of action taken in both India and Singapore.
