Port of New Orleans sues tanker owners in federal court after crash on Mississippi River

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The Port of New Orleans has filed a $1 million federal lawsuit against owners of the tanker vessel that struck and sunk a New Orleans riverboat on Friday.

The lawsuit was filed Friday evening in the Eastern District of Louisiana, naming the Atlantic Asphalt MV, Nave Shipping SA and Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd. as defendants. It alleges the maritime mishap caused at least $1 million in damage to the Thalia Street Terminal where the paddlewheel cruise ship American Heritage was docked.

Plaintiffs are the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans, who will be represented by attorneys Christopher Hannon, Sara Kuebel and Abigail Weiland of the high-powered New Orleans law firm Jones Walker.

Court records show the initial case assignment allotted to federal magistrate Karen Wells Roby and to U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter, chief judge at the federal courthouse in New Orleans.

Documents also show an arrest warrant issued, directing federal marshals to seize and hold the marine vessel Atlantic Asphalt, the 525-foot ship that on Friday afternoon appeared to lose control as it passed beneath the Crescent City Connection bridge.

The tanker veered to the right, striking the docked river cruise ship American Heritage, causing it to capsize and partially sink. The riverboat had 192 passengers aboard, but authorities said all were rescued safely, with 32 requiring hospital treatment.

“As a result of the Atlantic Asphalt’s allision with the American Heritage and the incident, the Board’s Thalia Street Terminal was significantly damaged,” the lawsuit says. “The extent of said damage remains under investigation, but physical damage is currently estimated to exceed $1,000,000, with additional substantial direct, indirect and consequential damages anticipated.”

The lawsuit identifies Nave Shipping SA as a corporation registered in the country of Liberia.

“According to publicly available information, Nave Shipping is the registered owner and ship manager and commercial manager of the Atlantic Asphalt,” the suit says.

Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd. is identified in the suit as a private limited company based in Singapore. The lawsuit says Thome is the Atlantic Asphalt’s ISM manager, “responsible for the effective implementation of the ‘International Safety Management’ code aboard the tanker.