d'Amico Dry Cargo is fighting to avoid a costly legal bill after its decade-long court battle with Primera Maritime.

The Italian bulker owner has appealed against a Manhattan federal court decision to halve its $1.77m legal fees award, after it won a $3.2m judgment against Primera late last year.

d'Amico persuaded the court to enforce a 2009 judgment won in England against Primera, a slew of affiliated companies and the father-son duo Nick and Paul Coronis.