On the same day Daebo sought Chapter 15 recognition of a restructuring that is underway in Seoul, court documents indicate that Richardson Stevedoring and Logistics filed a complaint against the petitioner in the Middle District of Florida.
Shortly after the lawsuit was filed the federal judge assigned to the case issued a warrant to arrest the 52,700-dwt Tai Happiness (built 2004) in an effort to secure the plaintiff’s claim.
Richardson argued that the vessel was controlled by Daebo when it was furnished with more than $264,000 worth of services at the Port of Houston earlier this year. On Monday the company said the bill was still outstanding.
“Despite being sent demand for payment of the balance due and owing for such stevedore, terminal and other maritime services and necessaries furnished to the vessel, neither the vessel’s owner, manager nor charterer has paid any part of the balance due,” it told the court.
A day after the vessel was arrested Clipper Bulk Shipping emerged as the current charterer of the Tai Happiness after filing an emergency motion to permit the bulker to proceed with repairs to damaged cranes and allow cargo surveyors on board.
“The claim asserted by the plaintiff (Richardson) arises out of services rendered to the vessel by a sub-time charterer,” Clipper wrote. “Negotiations are underway to resolve the lien against the vessel or alternatively to release the vessel.”
As we reported, Richardson secured the arrest of a bulker controlled by Daebo a few weeks before the debtor filed for Chapter 15 recognition of its South Korean rehabilitation in the Southern District of New York.
On Monday, the petitioner’s attorneys argued that the seizure of the 73,900-dwt bulker Daebo Trader (built 2002), which has been at anchor of New Orleans since early February, violated a protective order issued by the court overseeing the restructuring.
