Two feeder vessels released after nine days in detention

After remaining detained for nine days in Chattogram, two container feeder vessels have been released Thursday following their furnishing of bank guarantees, against due export proceeds by a jute exporter.

The vessels were held on March 22, following an order of the admiralty court and were kept detained at the outer anchorage of the Chattogram port.

The vessels are Liberia-flagged San Alfonso and Marshall Islands-flagged Celsius Nelson. The San Alfons was detained with 1,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of outbound containers onboard, causing severe risks of possible financial losses for exporters.

On the other hand, Celsius Nelson was held the day it came to Chattogram water with 1,050 TEUs imported goods- laden containers. Later, the vessel was allowed to offload the boxes and remained at the outer anchorage.

Faridpur based Razzaque Jute Industries Ltd had filed cases against the two feeder vessels after failing to get money from its buyers against the exported jute goods. The jute mill used these feeder vessels to send containers towards the regional transhipment ports.

Deputy managing director of Crown Navigation Co (Pvt) Ltd, the local agent of the vessel Celsius Nelson Shahed Sarwar said the two vessels had to furnish bank guarantee of Tk 280 million to get release order.

He said the vessels ultimately have no connection with the non-payment of export proceeds to the exporter, but had to incur loss of millions of taka being remained detained for nine days.

syful-islam@outlook.com