Interlegal assisted in vessel release from arrest

M/V “AZOVSKIY VETER” was chartered to deliver cargo from the port of Kherson (Ukraine) to the port of Poti (Georgia).

On January 26, 2014, during passage in ice-convoy from the port of Kherson the Vessel got water ingress into ballast tanks due to very hard ice-conditions. To prevent sinking of the Vessel the Master decided to ground the Vessel near Ochakov (Ukraine) and announced the General Average. The Parties concluded the Settlement Agreement, stipulating, that the damages, caused by the incident, will be considered as General Average, and the Owners will reimburse the Charterers the costs of delivering cargo to the port of discharge on the Charterers’ own.

Notwithstanding the Settlement Agreement provisions the Charterers claimed the Owners, and on April 17, 2014, the Vessel was arrested in the port of Kherson on the basis of the ruling of Commercial Court of Kherson region.

The Owners instructed INTERLEGAL to protect their interests and release the Vessel.

INTERLEGAL filed the application to the Commercial Court of Kherson region and proved that the arrest of the Vessel was groundless, so the Court cancelled the arrest and on May 05, 2014, the Vessel was released.