Ship Arrest in Bangladesh: Grounds and Procedure

If a shipowner owes you money and their vessel is sitting in a Bangladeshi port, you may not have to chase them across borders. Arresting the ship can turn a hard-to-enforce claim into one backed by real security, but only for a short window and only if you move.

What is ship arrest in Bangladesh?

Ship arrest is a court order detaining a vessel to secure a maritime claim, such as cargo damage, unpaid freight, bunker supplies, or crew wages. In Bangladesh, the High Court Division exercises admiralty jurisdiction and can arrest a ship until the owner provides security or the claim is resolved.

When you can arrest a ship

Arrest is available to secure a maritime claim. Common grounds include:

• Loss of or damage to cargo carried on the vessel
• Unpaid freight or charter hire
• Bunkers, stores, or other necessaries supplied to the ship
• Ship repair or dry-docking costs
• Salvage and general average contributions
• Unpaid crew wages
• Damage caused by the ship, for example in a collision

If your dispute does not fall within admiralty jurisdiction, arrest is not the right tool, and an advocate can tell you quickly which category your claim fits.

The court and the procedure

Admiralty matters in Bangladesh are heard by the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, which exercises admiralty jurisdiction. In outline, the process runs like this:

1. Your advocate files an admiralty suit and an application to arrest the vessel, supported by evidence of the claim.
2. If the court is satisfied, it issues a warrant of arrest.
3. The vessel is detained at her port, and the relevant port and marine authorities are notified so she cannot sail.

Because a detained ship costs the owner money every day, an arrest concentrates minds and often brings a settlement offer far faster than an ordinary suit.

Security and release

An owner will usually want the ship freed quickly. The vessel is normally released once acceptable security for the claim is put up, typically a bank guarantee or a P&I club letter of undertaking. That security then stands in place of the ship while the underlying dispute is decided or settled. The court can also release a vessel if the arrest was wrongful.

Why speed decides these cases

A ship is a moving asset. Once she leaves Bangladeshi waters, your leverage leaves with her. The practical window to arrest is while the vessel is berthed at a port such as Chattogram or Mongla, which can be a matter of days. Everything, gathering the evidence, drafting the papers, and getting before the court, has to happen inside that window.

Where this firm fits

Ship arrest, cargo claims, and marine insurance disputes sit at the centre of the firm’s maritime practice, handled by an advocate trained in maritime law. If a vessel connected to your claim is heading for, or already in, a Bangladeshi port, time is the one thing you cannot get back, speak with the advocate now.