New Orleans port files $1m lawsuit over Mississippi River tanker collision

A legal claim for $1 million has been lodged by the Port of New Orleans following a collision between the cruise ship American Heritage and the cargo vessel M/V Atlantic Asphalt on Friday afternoon. The riverboat, which was carrying 129 passengers plus crew, ended up partially submerged and resting on its side in the Mississippi River after the incident.

The federal lawsuit, submitted to the Eastern District of Louisiana court, names the tanker, its owner Nave Shipping SA, and the management firm Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd as defendants. Legal documents claim the port terminal sustained significant damage and that the collision was caused by the "negligence, gross negligence, fault or carelessness" of the vessel and its operators.

According to the filing, the port is seeking funds to address costs related to repairs, site inspections, and cleanup operations. The lawsuit requests the seizure and sale of the tanker to settle these damages, alleging that the operating companies failed "to use all available means to avoid the risk" of the crash.

Emergency responders, including police and tugboat operators, were deployed to the scene, leading authorities to suspend traffic on the river while rescue efforts were underway. The American Heritage had been nearing the end of an eight-day voyage along the waterway, visiting various locations in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Nave Shipping is a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation. In a statement released on Saturday, Thome Ship Management confirmed that all crew members aboard the Atlantic Asphalt were safe and accounted for, adding: "OSM Thome is fully complying with the local authorities as they carry out the necessary investigations."