Grupo R is trying to recoup $10m in deposits on two Coastline Maritime offshore support vessels after a 2014 deal to buy them went sour.
The Mexican oil and gas conglomerate has sued the vessels' owners in Houston federal court, seeking the seizure of the OSVs in order to enforce two arbitration awards won in London in May of more than $5m each.
The case centres on the diving support vessels 7,241-dwt Caballo Marango (built 2010) and the 6,835-dwt Caballo Maya (built 2012).
The lawsuit names the ships’ Panamanian registration owners, Marfield Limited and Shanara Maritime, as defendants. The ships are controlled by Singapore-based Coastline Maritime, according to Clarksons.
The lawsuit states Grupo R had an agreement in March 2014 to buy the Caballo Marango and the Caballo Maya for $178m and $150m, respectively.
Under arrest
At the time, the ships were under arrest over a criminal investigation into charterer Oceanografia and its subsequent bankruptcy.
As part of the deal, Marfield Limited and Shanara Maritime were allegedly expected to get the ships released, which they were unable to do.
In January 2015, Grupo R cancelled the deal and asked for the $10m paid in deposits back.
When refused, the oil outfit sued in the Mexican courts that July, leading to the vessels being seized again.
By April 2018, Mexican authorities had released the ships from the Oceanografia seizures and registration companies had paid security bonds to free them. The ships were then laid up in Galveston.
By the end of April that year, the security bonds on both ships had expired and the registration companies allegedly refused to post another, or post-security costs.
On 30 May 2019, the London arbitration tribunal ruled R Grupo should be repaid the $5m deposit for each vessel, plus 4.5% interest per year from 30 January 2015.
Coastline Maritime did not respond to requests for comment.
