Court Orders Detention of Vessels Over Multi-Million Dollar Debt to Nigerian Partners

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, has ordered the arrest and detention of vessels belonging to Maritime Security giant, Ambrey International, following its refusal to meet its financial obligations to local service providers and Nigerian partners.

The arrest warrant and detention order of vessels: MV Sirius, MV Sirius 1, MV Siriius 2 and MV Sentinel, listed as: 1-4th defendants in case number: FHC/PH//CS/41/2023 which has Criterion Nigeria Ltd  as plaintiff, was signed by the presiding judge, Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam.

The order read in part, “To the Admiralty Marshall of the Federal High Court and to all and singular his substitute …This is therefore to require and order you forthwith to arrest and detain the said vessel “MV Sirius”, MV Sirus 2 and MV Sentinel” and to keep same under detention until you shall receive further order (s) from the Court.”

The vessel owners have had a running battle with Nigerian partners and local operators who provide services which range from supply of security vessels, bunkers and other related logistical support to ease operations.

Local partners had complained about Ambrey’s refusal to pay for services rendered to International clients such as: Frontline, MSC, COSCO, and Maersk on its behalf.

The plaintiff’s decision to seek legal redress was sequel to the discovery that international clients had made full payments for the services rendered to Ambrey but that the company deliberately refused to pay local service providers with one of such providers alone being owed over Five Million US dollars.

When  several attempts to recover the debts, failed to yield the desired results, the providers approached the court to seek redress.

This led to the issuance of the order to arrest and detain the vessels and for the utilizationof the vessels to recover the outstanding debts.

There are reports that the defendants in the case equally had similar issues with local service providers across other parts of West Africa especially Republic of Cameroun.

Those familiar with the matter explain that Ambrey’s woes appear to have began with its botched attempt to sell off its business concerns to another player in the maritime sector, Ocean Infinity, without first settling its outstanding liabilities to service providers.