Genting Crystal Cruises ship forced to divert to avoid seizure

Crystal Cruises’ ship is reported to have changed its route to avoid seizure by the US due to unpaid fuel bills.

Hong Kong.- A ship from Genting Hong Kong’s Crystal Cruises was reportedly diverted to the Bahamas instead of ending its trip in Miami to avoid being seized by US Marshals for unpaid fuel bills. A federal judge in Miami on Thursday ordered an arrest warrant against the ship due to unpaid bills of US$1.2bn, according to media reports. 

Peninsula Oil Far East has filed a lawsuit to try to recover US$4.6m in unpaid fuel bills for three Genting ships since 2017, Bloomberg reported. Passengers on the diverted ship were taken by ferry to Port Everglades, Florida.

Crystal Cruises has recently suspended the operations of its Ocean and Expedition ships. According to the company, suspending operations will provide Crystal’s management team with “an opportunity to evaluate the current state of business and examine various options moving forward.”

Genting Hong Kong has filed for liquidation after a German court rejected a request to release US$88m in funds for its German shipyard unit MV Werften.

The cruise ship operator said the petition was essential to “maximise the chance of success of the financial restructuring and to provide a moratorium on claims by any of its unsecured creditors and to seek to avoid a disorderly liquidation of the company.”