A judge issued a warrant Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, giving federal officials temporary control of the Atlantic Asphalt tanker after it struck a docked cruise ship in New Orleans, the Associated Press reported. The Port of New Orleans alleges the collision caused at least $1 million in damage to its terminal. Source
All 197 passengers and crew aboard the American Heritage survived, as did the tanker’s crew. Officials said 32 people were taken to hospitals, including two police officers thrown into the Mississippi River when the cruise ship rolled. None of the injuries were critical, and eight people remained hospitalized Saturday, Nov. 14, AP reported. Source
The port wants the tanker sold
The port asked that the tanker be seized and sold to cover the damage, according to CBS News, which reviewed the lawsuit. Source
The federal suit, filed late Friday, names the vessel, its owner Nave Shipping SA and its manager Thome Ship Management Pte, Ltd. The port is seeking money for cleanup, inspections, repairs and other expenses. The full extent of the damage was still being assessed. Source
The Atlantic Asphalt struck the American Heritage while the riverboat was docked at the port’s Thalia Street Terminal on Friday afternoon. The lawsuit alleges the tanker and companies failed “to use all available means to avoid the risk of” hitting the stationary vessel, CBS reported. Source
CBS said Nave Shipping and Thome did not immediately respond to its requests for comment about the lawsuit. In a separate Saturday statement reported by CBS, the manager said: “OSM Thome is fully complying with the local authorities as they carry out the necessary investigations.” Source
The cause remains unresolved
The tanker appeared to lose steering, but the exact cause of the crash was not known, Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said Saturday, according to AP. The National Transportation Safety Board was sending investigators to New Orleans. Source
The tanker had been towed away, but moving the American Heritage could take weeks, Burnham said. The cruise ship remained on its side against a terminal. Crews first needed to safely remove the 16,000 gallons of fuel aboard it, she said. Source
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