An arrest warrant has been issued for an Interunity Management-controlled ship in a charter dispute with Chembulk Tankers.
Connecticut company Chembulk filed a $2m lawsuit last week in a federal court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, looking to arrest the 26,198-dwt Chem Ranger (built 2010). In addition to targeting the ship, the lawsuit focuses on registered owner Lantern Maritime as the defendant.
The complaint said Lantern, which Equasis lists at the address of Athens-based commercial manager Interunity, removed the vessel from Chembulk's service on 7 August after Chembulk began raising issues in February.
Then, Chembulk alleged, Lantern refused to allow the ship to take on a load of phosphoric acid, costing Chembulk $185,000 in a subcharter with Midgulf International.
Overpaid hire
In April, the complaint said Chembulk discovered it had overpaid Lantern $815,184 in hire between November 2014 and 2018, $524,098 of which is outstanding.
In July, the companies had a dispute over whether hire was due, with Chembulk arguing they did not owe money until the overpaid hire was drawn down. Still, Chembulk said it offered to pay $6,500 per day to help with cash flow until the overpaid hire was covered.
Chembulk is also looking to recoup at least $250,000 in lost profit from the ship being unavailable and $229,690 for the fuel still onboard.
With attorneys fees and interest, damages total $2m.
Interunity did not immediately return requests for comment.
According to AIS data, the ship is at anchor on the Mississippi River south of Baton Rouge.
The ship was en route to Plaquemine, Louisiana, from Houston.
