Cruise Ship Held in Dublin Over Alleged Fuel Bill Arrears

Ireland's High Court orders arrest & detention of cruise ship 'MV Princess Danae' for unpaid US$94,000 bunker fuel bill.

The MV Princess Danae, which has a capacity to carry more than 800 passengers and crew, is registered in Madeira and flies the flag of Portugal.

In the High Court, Mr Justice Roderick Murphy said he was satisfied to issue a warrant under a 1952 International Maritime Convention allowing for the arrest and detention of the Portuguese registered cruise ship, reports the 'Irish Independent'.

The arrest and detention order was sought by Italian registered firm Omega Bunker SRL, who entered into an agreement with the ships owners Waybell Cruises Inc, with a registered address at Panama City, Panama, to supply the vessel with fuel in the Port of Manila the Philippines last April. The owners were then invoiced for $409,000 (€325,000) but this deal was not kept to by the ship's owners.

The ship’s owners agreed to make a number of payments in June of July of this year in order to settle the bill. Several payments were made. However, despite that agreement the ship's owners had refused to pay an outstanding amount of $94,000, which Omega claims it is due.

Counsel said his client now wanted the ship restrained from going to sea until security was given that it would receive its money.