Pola Maritime and Germany’s Reederei Nord have teamed up to defend themselves after being drawn into a fight with two agricultural commodities firms, an executive for Cyprus-based Pola says.
The partnership between the two ship operators comes after court action in the US that saw Nord seize Pola’s 37,700-dwt bulker Pola Onega (built 2014) in June.
Pola general manager Carlo Marco Cepollina tells TradeWinds that the vessel was released some time ago and the two companies have joined forces.
Earlier this year, the companies were drawn into a fight between Uruguay’s Agroglobal and US-based grain charterer Agribusiness United Savanah Logistics.
Agroglobal arrested Nord’s 37,200-dwt N Schelde (built 2013) in May on allegations that the ship discharged a cargo of soybean meal and yellow corn to the wrong recipient, Agribusiness United Afrique. The N Schelde was on time-charter to Pola at the time.
Nord followed with its seizure of the Pola Onega in New Orleans, arguing that it refused to provide funds to defends against Agroglobal’s claims.
Vessel tracking data show the Pola Onega departed New Orleans in July.
