The bulk carrier Debi has been released by a court in India after being detained for the last 15 months.
The owners of the bulker and the Paradip International Cargo Terminal are reported to have reached an out-of-court settlement. After reviewing the settlement, the judge agreed that there was no reason for the case to continue and ordered the release of the ship. In addition, the court reportedly issued a ruling for a refund of more than $27,000 in court fees to the terminal operator.
To remind, on 23 December 2024, 12 of the 21 crewmembers from the vessel were allowed to leave and return home.
The bulker had been seized at Paradip Port in India about a year ago after arriving from Indonesia. A longshoreman had noticed a suspicious package attached to the ship’s crane, which was found to contain 22 kilos of cocaine. As a result, Indian authorities detained both the ship and its crew.
