German owner refuses delivery of PCTC

The German shipowner NSC Schiffahrtsgesellschaft is refusing to take delivery of a large car carrier lying at Croatia’s 3 Maj shipyard.

It is the last of three 4,900 unit car carrier newbuilding’s NSC founder Roberto Echevarria booked at the Rijeka yard after allegedly gazumping Compania Chilena de Navigacion Interoceanica (CCNI).

Since then, the car-carrier market has been badly hit by the recession and NSC is reported to be without a charter for the ship. However, it is understood that Hamburg-based NSC is arguing that technical problems exist with the PCTC and it is consequently not ready to be handed over.

Sources say this is despite all required classification certificates being available and 3 Maj having already built two sisterships at a cost of $57m each. There is talk already of the dispute going to court.