An arrested pipe layer continues to languish in Ghana as the legal fight over its release heads to New York.
Dallas-based investment fund WAG SPV I last week filed suit in Manhattan federal court against Nigeria-based Fortune Global, looking to garnish $2.9m held in three accounts related to the arrest of the 8,531-gt Sea Horizon (built 1977) last autumn.
In May, WAG SPV and New York financier Hark Capital filed suit in Houston alleging the wrongful arrest has cost them more than $4.2m.
Since, according to attorneys from Watson, Farley & Williams representing WAG SPV, the Sea Horizon was ordered released, before two more lawsuits were filed in Ghana by Hercules Marine Limited and Abed General Enterprises keeping the ship held.
The initial arrest was ordered last September in Ghana, with Fortune alleging another Nigerian company, Ranger Subsea, owed it $1.9m under an agreement to support its marine construction operations.
The Houston lawsuit alleges the agreement began in 2014, two years before WAG SPV I borrowed $14m from Hark to buy the Sea Horizon. WAG SPV says the agreement between Ranger and Fortune does not mention it or the ship.
James Winston, who is representing Fortune in Houston declined to comment for this story.
The Sea Horizon's technical manager has since withdrawn, as it is not being paid, WAG SPV attorneys said.
The ship is reportedly being held at the Sekondi Naval Base with 13 crewmembers on board.
