A sunken ship, a vanished cashew cargo, and a ₹6 crore maritime standoff have culminated in a dramatic legal move from the Kerala High Court — the arrest of a sister ship to ensure importers don’t walk away empty-handed.
On Thursday, the Court ordered the arrest of MSC Manasa F, a cargo vessel flying the Liberian flag and operated by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA, after its sibling ship, MSC Elsa-3, met a watery grave off Alappuzha’s coast with cashew-laden containers aboard.
Justice MA Abdul Hakhim admitted five admiralty suits filed by aggrieved importers and ordered the seizure of MSC Manasa F while it sat docked at Vizhinjam Port — not out of vengeance, but to secure pending claims worth nearly ₹6 crore.
The plaintiffs accused the crew of the sunken vessel of gross negligence, alleging technical faults, poor upkeep, and careless loading had led to the disaster. Since the parent company had no attachable assets in India, their only recourse, they argued, was the vessel now within reach.
The Court agreed. In its ruling, it allowed the arrest — but laid out a clear path for the owners: the warrant would dissolve if they deposited the claimed sum or posted sufficient security.
Here’s the financial tally from the cashew cargo claimants:
- Saji Surendran (Mangalath Cashews): ₹1,54,71,443
- JJ Trading Company: ₹1,58,08,478.40
- R Rajendran (RRR Enterprises): ₹1,63,54,104
- Iacom Foods Pvt Ltd: ₹81,11,778
- Georgian Food Products Pvt Ltd: ₹39,80,307.78
With the total brushing against ₹6 crore, the case has stirred waves not just in shipping lanes, but in court corridors.
The port authority mix-up also got sorted mid-proceeding — with the Court instructing petitioners to replace Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd as a respondent with the actual operator, Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd.
The clock is ticking. The next hearing is set for June 16, with written responses from the defendants due the day before.
Until then, MSC Manasa F remains stuck in legal limbo — arrested not by pirates, but by paperwork.
