Evergreen's US arm is suing to force a Colombian company into arbitration, alleging their negligence cost them more than $4m.
In the lawsuit filed last week in New Jersey federal court, the Taiwan liner operator says Global Shipping Agencies, Evergreen's agent in Colombia since 2003, has not paid $3.4m collected from Evergreen's customers.
Global Shipping Agencies also cost Evergreen $800,000 in preliminary claims by customers when 16 containers were seized at Buena Ventura last August. The complaint said Global Shipping Agencies manifested 166 containers instead of 182, causing customs to detain the difference.
The agent also failed renew a required $500,000 security guarantee, plus other alleged contract breaches with unspecified damages.
Global Shipping Agencies did not return requests for comment.
Per the companies' contract, disputes need to be settled in arbitration in New Jersey, with one arbitrator appointed by either side and the third by the chosen by the pair.
The lawsuit says Evergreen first filed a demand for arbitration 28 December and twice more in January. Global Shipping Agencies, they say, have refused to appoint an arbitrator or submit to arbitration.
