Dutch and Norwegian shipowners are suing American tugboat owners for a January crash on the Mississippi River.
Monday, Maas Shipping and Belships together filed suit in New Orleans federal court against two tugs and their owners, looking to recover more than $700,000 after the duo crashed into the 34,914-dwt Maas Confidence (built 2016) and the 61,252-dwt Belforest (built 2015) while anchored.
The complaint says the Ingram Barge-owned tug F.R. Bigelow lost steering and control of its tow and began moving across the river on the morning of 17 January, eventually colliding with the tug CSS Atlanta and its tow as it moved upriver at "elevated engine speeds."
"The negligent navigation of both flotillas resulted in collision causing allisions with and damage to" the Maas Confidence and the Belforest, the complaint read.
Both ships were said to have been taken out of service for repairs.
Neither Ingram nor Carline Management, the CSS Atlanta's manager, returned requests for comment.
