Crystal Symphony, the luxury cruise ship operated by financially troubled GHK-Genting Hong Kong subsidiary Crystal Cruises, was expected to be seized to pay $1.2 million in unpaid fuel bills should it dock at PortMiami on Saturday . January 22, but the ship would have diverted to the Bahamas, after learning that a Miami court issued a seizure order.
A sheriff and court-appointed custodian were ready to seize the vessel should it arrive at the Port of Miami on schedule Saturday morning, according to J. Stephen Simms, the attorney representing Peninsula Petroleum Far East.
The latter Singapore-based bunkering company sued in District Court to recover $4.6 million in unpaid fees for bunker fuel it had delivered to three of GHK ‘s vessels since 2017.
A federal district judge in Miami issued the seizure order for Crystal Symphony on Thursday the 20th.
GHK became the world’s largest cruise operator to seek legal assistance to safeguard its assets during the Covid crisis when on January 19 it asked the Bermuda Supreme Court to appoint interim liquidators after exhausting “all reasonable efforts” to negotiate with interested parties and creditors.
The Malaysian holding company reported a record $1.7 billion loss in May 2021 as the crisis devastated the tourism industry. Also, last week, the German shipyard MV Werften, owned by GHK, filed for bankruptcy.
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