A second shipping company has taken Shanghai-based CTS International Logistics to court, accusing it of abandoning dozens of containers in Hong Kong.
Hapag-Lloyd filed a $1.8m lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court Monday.
The German line operator's lawyers alleged Chinese government-linked company arranged for the German company to transport of 76 containers reportedly filled with copper ingot from St Louis to rural Gaolan, China, via Norfolk, Virginia.
But once delivered to Hong Kong, CTS alleged failed to provide shipping instructions, customs documentation or take delivery of the containers. They remained at a terminal there until July 2016, when Hapag-Lloyd paid for them to be destroyed.
Further, Hapag-Lloyd accuses CTS of lying about the contents of the containers. Instead of copper ingot, the containers allegedly contained loose mud and sand, which are not allowed to be imported into China.
The allegations are the same ones made by French boxship owner CMA CGM in a lawsuit filed 3 October, also in Los Angeles federal court.
Both shipowners are represented by James Marissen and Rachel Weitzman of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani.
CTS did not respond to requests for comment on Hapag-Lloyd's lawsuit or CMA CGM's.
According to its website, CTS' major shareholder is China National Travel Service, which is overseen by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.
