A US chemical company is looking to arrest a pair of ships after a collision on the Mississippi River caused more than $50m of damage to its facility west of New Orleans.
In its lawsuit in New Orleans federal court, Louisiana-based Cornerstone Chemical said the 12,900-dwt multipurpose ship Nomadic Milde (built 2011) collided with the 33,700-dwt bulker Atlantic Venus (built 2012) on 8 May in an incident that eventually destroyed part of the company's dock.
Cornerstone is seeking a total of $67m for the damage, plus lost business, interest and fees.
The company said in the complaint, filed in mid-May, that the Marshall Islands-flagged Nomadic Milde was being serviced by two Crescent tugs began dragging its anchors.
The ship then allegedly collided into the Atlantic Venus in a T-shape before the two tugs were able to stabilise the ships.
From there, the Nomadic Milde was said to have dropped its anchor chains and engaged its engines, cutting the Atlantic Venus' anchor chains before the cargoship collided with Cornerstone's dock.
Cornerstone said one of the dock's cells was a total loss and a second suffered significant damage.
The Atlantic Venus' registered owner is Golden Helm Shipping, which shares an address with manager Osaka Fleet. Osaka Fleet is an affiliate of Osaka Shipping, which did not return a request for comment.
Norway-based Nomadic Short Sea Shipping, the Nomadic Milde's owner, also did not return a request for comment.
The ship's registered owner, New Nomadic Short Sea Shipping, last week filed a petition for limitation of liability. In court papers, the company argued the ship and its cargo is worth $6.2m, less the $1.5m damage suffered in the collision.
Crescent Towing said it was "fully cooperating in the US Coast Guard's investigation" into the crash and that "out of respect to that important process, it's most appropriate for us to provide additional information only after" the investigation is complete.
The Nomadic Milde is currently moored offshore Texas, according to automatic identification system (AIS) data.
AIS data shows the Panama-flagged Atlantic Venus is underway in the Caribbean Sea, en route to Cristobal, Panama.
The Nomadic Milde is insured by North P&I, while the Atlantic Venus by the Japan Ship Owners P&I.
