CPA intervenes in Yamamoto suit to collect $20K

The Commonwealth Ports Authority intervened yesterday in Japanese investor Takahisa Yamamoto’s lawsuit against Lt. Gov. Victor Hocog and owner/operators of cargo ship M/V Luta to collect $20,463 in alleged unpaid services.

CPA, through counsel Robert T. Torres, asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to award it $20,463 plus fees, costs, and custodial fees.

According to the complaint, from March through October 2016, CPA provided necessaries to M/V Luta at each of its three ports: the Port of Saipan, the Port of Tinian, and Rota West Harbor.

Beyond some special services of minor expense, these necessaries were for dockage and entry at these ports, Torres said.

The fees for these services totaled $20,260.

Torres said that CPA provided substantial necessaries for the ship at the order of the owner or authorized representative of M/V Luta.

Torres said that CPA regularly invoiced M/V Luta’s owners for payment f these necessaries, but it has not received any payments.

He said CPA has demanded payment for these invoices, again sending those demands to Luta Mermaid LLC, but the owners/operators refused to pay.

Last week, Rota Terminal & Transfer Co. Inc., through counsel Janet H King, asked the court to allow it to intervene in Yamamoto’s lawsuit. The company claims that M/V Luta owes a total of $165,766.

King said from March 17, 2016, to Oct. 31, 2016, Rota Terminal provided necessaries to M/V Luta such as stevedoring services, agency services, notice of arrival clearances, vessel clearances, cargo clearances, government clearances, cargo booking services, and administrative services.

Three groups have already intervened in Yamamoto’s lawsuit. They are a former captain of M/V Luta and six crew members, Long Consulting LLC, and Norton Lilly International. The captain and crew members are demanding payment of $183,648 in unpaid wages, while Long Consulting is claiming $300,000 in unpaid services. Norton Lilly is claiming $131,801 in unpaid services.

Yamamoto is suing Lt. Gov. Hocog and the owner/operators of M/V Luta for allegedly refusing to pay back the $3.4 million that he put up for the vessel.

After Yamamoto filed the lawsuit last Oct. 25, the U.S. Marshal Service seized the ship. The National Maritime Services is custodian of the vessel.

U.S. District Court for the NMI designated judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood has ordered the vessel sold in the minimum bid amount of $550,000.