By Jayani Wegodapola
Colombo Admiralty High Court Judge Chandra Ekanayake on Thursday issued a warrent of arrest and a writ of summons on the ship named ‘MV Dumronglarp’. It was alleged that the acts of the master and the crew of the said ship caused grave and irreparable loss and damage to the plaintiff, Ruhunu Cement Company Ltd.

In or about August 2002, an associate company of the plaintiff, Holcium Trading Private Limited (HTPL), a Singaporan company, entered into a contract to supply the plaintiff with 250,000 metric tons of clinker which is an essential raw material required for the manufacture and production of cement. Accordingly HTPL loaded a cargo of 5800 metric tons of clinker at the port of Krabi, Thailand on to the ship called MV Dumronglarp.

The abovenamed ship reached the port of Galle and commenced discharging the said cargo of 5800 metric tons of clinker on or about 7th September 2002. Approximately 2912 metric tons of the said cargo was discharged on September 10 whereupon the master and the crew of the ship ceased the discharge of the remainder of the cargo. It was alleged that the master and the crew of the said ship wrongfully and illegally continued to refuse to discharge the remainder of the cargo. On this reason the plaintiff had to temporarily close its factory in Galle until the remaining clinker was discharged.

It was alleged that the wilful failure or negligence of the owners of the MV Dumronglarp and the wrongful and illegal acts of the master and the crew of the ship has caused loss and damage to the plaintiff amounting to US$ 500,000.00.