Seized ship in Portland may be sold

PORTLAND – A 400-foot cargo ship that has been anchored in Portland Harbor for three weeks may be put up for sale.

Lawyers for Fortis Bank of the Netherlands are requesting permission to sell the Shamrock. The ship was seized by federal marshals last month over an alleged $14 million loan default by the ship’s French owner.

The owner has until Monday to tell a federal judge in writing why the ship shouldn’t be sold. A hearing will be held next week in U.S. District Court in Portland, said Fortis Bank’s local lawyer, Peter Plumb.

Several buyers are likely to be interested in the ship, perhaps at an auction held in Portland, said city Transportation Director Jeff Monroe. “It’s a very nice vessel; somebody will buy it,” he said.

Michael Kaplan, the local lawyer for ship owner Copropiete du Navire Shamrock, said its future will not be decided in Portland. Kaplan said negotiations are under way in Europe, and there is “no way to tell” what they will accomplish.

John Hudson, a representative of the contractor that operates the ship, agreed, saying the ship’s owner has new financial backing to go back into operation.

Plumb said he was unaware of any such plan.

The Shamrock has made a weekly round trip between Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Portland for several years, taking on and dropping off cargo in tractor-trailer-sized containers that can be trucked easily to inland locations.

That ended July 20, when the ship was detained, stranding its crew.

Except for trips to the city’s marine terminal to unload cargo and take on fresh water, and occasional water-taxi rides to town, the crew of eight Polish sailors and three French officers has been stuck on board.

“They pick up a lot of junk food when they get into town. It goes well with watching television,” Captain Michael Raymond said. “I know one thing, it’s pretty boring.”