Claimants in the case on allision of Delta Pioneer tanker with a pier at Primorsk port apply for making the process non-public

The claimants in the case related to the allision of the Delta Pioneer tanker with a pier at Primorsk port (Transneft-Port Primorsk LLC and Commercial Sea Port of Primorsk LLC) at the 13th Arbitration Court of Saint-Petersburg and the Leningrad Region have applied to the court to make the process non-public.

According to IAA PortNews correspondent, the reason given by the claimants is the following: the defendants require documentation under the berth reconstruction project which is a commercial and a state secret. The claimants say they will not let the defendants (Pontoporos Special Maritime, the ship owner, and Delta Tankers, the tanker operator) obtain access to project documentation without guarantees of preventing the third parties from access to the documents (including potential reviewers which can be attracted by defendants to evaluate the conclusion on the amount of loss based on project documentation).

On 20 November 2016, the Aframax tanker Delta Pioneer (flag of Greece) allided with dolphin No 6 at Berth No 1 in Primorsk port (Leningrad Region). The vessel was maneuvering to the berth when the stern towing line given to the tanker from Rosnefteflot’s towing tug RN Poseidon broke up. According to the State Maritime Rescue and Coordination Center of RF Transport Ministry, the tanker damaged two sections of the berth catwalk. Greek ship owners are defended by the lawyers of Lex Navicus Concordia and Saveliev, Batanov & Partners – Konstantin Krasnokutsky and Sergei Savelyev. The interests of Transneft are represented by the lawyers of Delcredere Bar Association.