US Marshals Ordered to Seize Tanker That Sank River Cruise Ship in New Orleans

A US federal judge has authorised the arrest of the 17,764 dwt asphalt tanker Atlantic Asphalt, weeks after the vessel collided with and partially sank American Cruise Lines' river cruise ship American Heritage at the Port of New Orleans.

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans filed suit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, seeking damages it currently estimates at more than $1m. The suit names three defendants: the tanker itself, its owner Nave Shipping SA, and Thome Ship Management, the Singapore-based manager operating under the OSM Thome brand.

The warrant directs US marshals to take possession of the vessel and hold it subject to further court orders. The port has also asked the court to authorise the sale of the tanker to recover its losses — an aggressive but well-established remedy in US admiralty litigation, where the vessel itself, not just its owners, stands as the respondent.

What happened on November 13?

Atlantic Asphalt struck American Heritage while the cruise ship was berthed at the port's Thalia Street Terminal on November 13. The impact caused the river cruise vessel to capsize and partially sink alongside the wharf. Thirty-two people were taken to hospital following the incident. No fatalities were reported.

The port alleges the collision caused extensive damage to the Thalia Street Terminal infrastructure. The $1m-plus figure covers physical damage only. The complaint leaves the door open to additional claims for cleanup, surveys, repairs and salvage, which means the final exposure for the tanker's owner and manager could climb materially higher.

The lawsuit alleges negligence by the tanker interests. The official cause of the collision, however, remains under investigation, and no findings have been released.

What does the vessel's manager say?

OSM Thome confirmed it manages Atlantic Asphalt and said the tanker was stable at anchor following the incident. The company said it activated its emergency response team and is cooperating fully with local authorities.

Neither OSM Thome nor Nave Shipping SA has publicly addressed the negligence allegation or the arrest warrant.

Why the arrest matters commercially

For the tanker's owner, an arrest is more than a legal formality. A seized vessel stops earning. Court-supervised custody means no cargoes, no freight income, and mounting detention costs while the case proceeds — pressure that often pushes owners toward early settlement or security posting.

For the port, the arrest converts a damage claim into leverage. With the vessel physically within US jurisdiction and now subject to marshals' control, the Port of New Orleans holds a tangible asset against its claim rather than chasing a foreign owner through distant courts. Its request for a judicial sale signals it intends to use that leverage to the fullest.

For underwriters and P&I interests, the case adds a high-profile US casualty to the ledger, with salvage, wreck removal at a busy river terminal, and terminal repair costs all still to be quantified.

The immediate question for the market is how quickly security is posted to release the tanker. Until then, Atlantic Asphalt sits under marshal custody in New Orleans, and the port's eventual claim tally — cleanup, surveys, repairs and salvage on top of the $1m-plus physical damage — will set the number the owner and its insurers must meet.