Ramadas Rao. 25 February 2015.  Sevastopol, the Russian cargo vessel that unsuccessfully tried to jump arrest in India last week, is involved in litigation with a local logistics company that has been awarded damages of INR14M (USD224,715), IHS Maritime has learned.

The Madras High Court heard a petition from Chennai (formerly Madras)-based NTC Logistics pleading for the vessel's arrest. The company's allegations against Sevastopol include damage to cargo, delays in loading, and "inefficient and non-co-operative" crew.

The court ordered the arrest of the vessel, which was chartered from Russia's Gudzon Shipping Company, which is said to be Sevastopol's beneficial owner. The charter was for a coastal run from Chennai to Kandla, transporting cargo comprising a minimum of 35 nacelles of 80 tonnes each and a hub of 26 tonnes.

The Indian Coast Guard division in Mumbai confirmed that the vessel tried to flee from Alpha Anchorage about 15 nm northwest of Mumbai in the early hours of 17 February.

"The vessel was informed by coastguard ship on patrol and through shore-based monitoring stations about the arrest order," the coastguard stated in a press release. "The vessel was also directed not to proceed without resolving the commercial dispute."

Disregarding the order, Sevastopol crew members picked up anchor and started getting under way. The coastguard noted that the vessel had switched off the automatic identification system, GMDSS equipment, and navigational lights, thus flouting the provisions of SOLAS and collision regulations.

In an extensive operation involving ships and aircraft, the coastguard finally tracked down the vessel 110 nm northwest of Mumbai at about 11.40 on 17 February. The ship was escorted back to Mumbai.

Source: www.ihsmaritime360.com