The Commonwealth Ports Authority intervened yesterday in Japanese investor Takahisa Yamamoto\u2019s lawsuit against Lt. Gov. Victor Hocog and owner\/operators of cargo ship M\/V Luta to collect $20,463 in alleged unpaid services. <\/p>\n
CPA, through counsel Robert T. Torres, asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to award it $20,463 plus fees, costs, and custodial fees.<\/p>\n
According to the complaint, from March through October 2016, CPA provided necessaries to M\/V Luta at each of its three ports: the Port of Saipan, the Port of Tinian, and Rota West Harbor.<\/p>\n
Beyond some special services of minor expense, these necessaries were for dockage and entry at these ports, Torres said.<\/p>\n
The fees for these services totaled $20,260.<\/p>\n
Torres said that CPA provided substantial necessaries for the ship at the order of the owner or authorized representative of M\/V Luta.<\/p>\n
Torres said that CPA regularly invoiced M\/V Luta\u2019s owners for payment f these necessaries, but it has not received any payments.<\/p>\n
He said CPA has demanded payment for these invoices, again sending those demands to Luta Mermaid LLC, but the owners\/operators refused to pay.<\/p>\n
Last week, Rota Terminal & Transfer Co. Inc., through counsel Janet H King, asked the court to allow it to intervene in Yamamoto\u2019s lawsuit. The company claims that M\/V Luta owes a total of $165,766. <\/p>\n
King said from March 17, 2016, to Oct. 31, 2016, Rota Terminal provided necessaries to M\/V Luta such as stevedoring services, agency services, notice of arrival clearances, vessel clearances, cargo clearances, government clearances, cargo booking services, and administrative services.<\/p>\n
Three groups have already intervened in Yamamoto\u2019s lawsuit. They are a former captain of M\/V Luta and six crew members, Long Consulting LLC, and Norton Lilly International. The captain and crew members are demanding payment of $183,648 in unpaid wages, while Long Consulting is claiming $300,000 in unpaid services. Norton Lilly is claiming $131,801 in unpaid services.<\/p>\n
Yamamoto is suing Lt. Gov. Hocog and the owner\/operators of M\/V Luta for allegedly refusing to pay back the $3.4 million that he put up for the vessel. <\/p>\n
After Yamamoto filed the lawsuit last Oct. 25, the U.S. Marshal Service seized the ship. The National Maritime Services is custodian of the vessel. <\/p>\n
U.S. District Court for the NMI designated judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood has ordered the vessel sold in the minimum bid amount of $550,000. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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