Pan Ocean is continuing to chase Clearlake Shipping's customers as part of its $7.25m lawsuit against the trader for allegedly not paying security for one of the shipowner's vessels.
The South Korean company filed the latest of three attachments to its 2018 lawsuit alleging Clearlake's breach of a 2016 charter contract requiring indemnity for added Clearlake-related expenses.
Pan Ocean is looking to garnish $445,796 that New York-based Lukoil Pan Americas owes to Clearlake for September voyage charter of 50,000-dwt Atlantic Journey (built 2018).
The South Korean plaintiff is also pursuing Litasco, Lukoil's oil trading subsidiary, for the money, according to documents filed in US District Court for Southern California.
Pan Ocean thus far has received $1.19m from garnishee Trafigura Trading and $1.59m from Texas-based Valero Energy.
Lawyers for both sides declined to comment on the case against Lukoil or Gunvor-owned Clearlake.
The suit stems from Clearlake asking Pan Ocean to release clean petroleum cargo aboard the 46,200-dwt Grance Ace 12 (built 2008) without receiving original bills of lading.
Clearlake requested this after Chines customs authorities in 2016 seized the ship and 38,000 tonnes of cargo for allegedly smuggling 36 cargoes and evading taxes and tariffs, court documents state.
Pan Ocean paid $5.6m to the cargoe's alleged rightful receiveras China-Base Ningho Group and Beihai Xinan Petrochemical to gain repossession of the ship.
Pan Ocean is also seeking another $1.65m in court fees as part of the $7.25m suit, according to Pan Ocean's lawyers.
