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The COSCO Busan, which ruptured two of its fuel tanks when it collided with a footing of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Nov. 7 and subsequently spilled nearly 60,000 gallons of bunker fuel into San Francisco Bay, has been ordered by a U.S. District Court to be placed under arrest.
The request for the arrest warrant came from the law firm of Audet & Partners LLP, who earlier filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of Bay Area commercial fishing and crabbing businesses that have been economically impacted by the fuel spill. The court order, issued Tuesday by the U.S. Northern District Court, approved the issuance of a warrant for the Busan, “her engines, tackle, furniture, apparel and appurtenances.” While the original request had also called for the arrest of the vessel’s cargo, this was not specified in the court order. The judge also ordered that the warrant be delivered to the U.S. Marshall’s office to be served.
The request for the warrant lists the Busan’s Hong Kong-based owner Regal Stone Ltd., Hanjin Shipping Co., Conti Cairo KG, NSB Neiderelbe, and Synergy Maritime as defendants. Each of the firms except ocean carrier Hanjin have been connected to ownership of the vessel in one way or another. Hanjin, while not an owner, was chartering the Busan from the vessel owners.
The warrant means that the ship will be unable to leave San Francisco Bay until all legal actions involving the incident are settled. The Busan is still in San Francisco Bay undergoing work to repair the nearly 160-foot-long gash torn in her port side when she collided a footing of the Bay Bridge.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation, with the U.S. Coast Guard narrowing the focus to human error on the part the bridge crew of the vessel, which included a locally hired pilot.
American Shipper
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