An Indian court has ordered the judicial sale of a Vietnamese bulker that was involved in a big drug bust in the Port of Paradip during December 2023.
Asia Pacific Shipping’s 37,200-dwt bulk carrier Debi (built 2012) was seized by the Indian customs department after a search conducted shortly after it docked at Paradip while on a voyage from Indonesia to Denmark unearthed 22 kilograms of cocaine hidden away on board.
The illicit cargo was not the reason behind the order to sell the ship issued by Justice V Narasingh of Orissa High Court this week.
In February a court in Odisha agreed to release the ship back into the custody of its owner upon payment of an indemnity bond and the provision of a bank guarantee.
Immediately thereafter Asia Pacific then got slapped with a INR 79.5m ($947,800) bill for docking overstay fees from the Paradip International Container Terminal (PITC).
Asia Pacific contested PITC’s arrest petition in High Court of Orissa. Its lawyers argued that the vessel was only liable for docking fees incurred prior to the ship being detained by the Paradip Customs Division.
The seizure order that barred it from leaving the berth while investigations authorities under the Customs Act were ongoing was something that was beyond its control, the company argued.
However, Justice Narasingh determined that PITC did potentially have a valid claim and ordered the arrest of the Debi on 23 February.
On 20 August PITC again went before the judge, this time with an application for the judicial sale of the Devi.
PITC said that no alternative forms of security had been received from Asia Pacific in the eight months since the arrest warrant had been served on the Debi.
The terminal operator stressed that further berthing costs were being incurred, while at the same time the ship was deteriorating and its value was decreasing day by day.
Justice Narasingh with PITC's arguments and ordered that the Debi be sold following the court’s receipt of a surveyor’s report and evaluation of the value of the vessel.
Further instructions on the judicial sale of the Debi will be announced once the court receives the surveyor’s report, which will be submitted in September.
Asia Pacific Shipping was founded in 2021 by what it describes on its website as “a team of experienced ship managers, crew managers, vetting managers and marine safety consultants, backed by Vietnamese investors”.
The company has expanded rapidly and today boasts a fleet of over 20 ships covering the full range of vessels in the tanker, gas and bulker sectors.
The Debi was acquired in January 2023 from Harren Bulkers of Germany for an undisclosed price. VesselsValue estimates the Hyundai Mipo-built ship is currently worth $17.5m.
TradeWinds has contacted Asia Pacific for comment.
