Cuttack: Two tug vessels — Ocean Jade and Ocean Morganite — were placed under arrest at Paradip Port Friday following an order issued by the Orissa High Court in connection with a high-stakes maritime dispute.
The arrest was carried out in the presence of local sub-judge Chinmayee Panda.
The vessels were detained pursuant to an ongoing admiralty suit filed by Alphard Maritime Limited, a leading maritime logistics and services company, which has claimed outstanding dues amounting to Rs 428 crore arising from the sale and purchase of seven tug vessels.
The High Court, in its order passed Wednesday, observed that “a prima facie case is made out against the defendants-vessels,” and noted that “unless an order of arrest is passed, the relief claimed in the suit would be rendered infructuous.”
Consequently, a single-judge bench of Justice Murahari Sri Raman directed that both Ocean Jade, an offshore supply vessel, and Ocean Morganite, an anchor handling tug, be arrested within Indian territorial waters at Paradip Port.
The HC Wednesday had also instructed that “the vessels be detained and be kept under arrest until further orders.”
The petitioner, Alphard Maritime, was granted liberty to communicate the order — along with a Letter of the Marshall of the Court under the Orissa High Court Admiralty Rules, 2020.
In accordance with judicial procedure, “notice in the main case and the interlocutory application is to be issued to the defendants, with the next hearing scheduled for April 30, 2025.”
The HC also clarified that “the defendants have the right to approach the court even prior to the returnable date, provided adequate notice is given to the petitioner.”
Following the arrest Friday, sub-judge Panda directed that both vessels be moved to the port’s anchorage area, where they will remain detained pending further judicial directions.
PTI
