The Port of New Orleans has sued the owners of a tanker involved in a collision with the cruise ship American Heritage, claiming the crash could have caused more than $1 million in damage.
The federal lawsuit also names the tanker’s management company and the vessel itself as defendants. The port said it had not yet established the full extent of the damage or the repairs required at its terminal.
It has asked a judge to approve the seizure of the tanker, Atlantic Asphalt, so the vessel could potentially be sold to help cover the repair costs.
The port alleges that the tanker and the companies responsible for it failed to comply with safety regulations and did not act quickly enough to avoid hitting the American Heritage.
A federal warrant authorising the seizure of Atlantic Asphalt was issued on Friday night.
The collision caused the river cruise ship to capsize, leaving 32 people injured. Those injured were taken to local hospitals.
