THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 26, 1995 TAG: 9505260548
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHRISTOPHER DINSMORE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
The company that Moon Engineering Co. Inc. is suing over problems with the construction of a speedy, four-hull vessel said in court papers that several related companies are actually liable.
In filings May 19 in Norfolk Circuit Court, Espirit Quadrimaran Ltd. said several related companies should be made defendants in the nearly $1.4 million suit filed by Moon Engineering. Espirit alleges those companies are responsible for whatever difficulties Moon has encountered building the so-called quadrimaran.
Moon, a small Portsmouth shipyard, sued Espirit Quadrimaran in April, claiming Espirit has paid it only $237,500 for just over $1.6 million of work it has done building the vessel.
The quadrimaran is supposed to be a demonstrator model for the U.S. market of a French four-hull design offering stable, high-speed passenger and cargo transportation. The quadrimaran is supposed to be able to cruise at speeds greater than 60 nautical miles an hour.
Espirit denies many of Moon's allegations in its response to the suit and asks the court to dismiss it. It also says if there is a judgment, it should be against Espirit's half-owner Quadrimaran International Holdings Ltd. and two of its subsidiaries.
Espirit's president, Charles Hamel, who owns the other half of Espirit, said it was Quadrimaran International's failure to keep its end of the bargain that led to the problems with Moon.
He refuted a previous statement by Quadrimaran International President Trond Conradi, made at the time of the lawsuit's filing, that Hamel was to blame. Conradi was unavailable for comment Thursday.
Moon had been building the vessel at its small riverfront yard on Front Street in Norfolk. The work had kept about 35 of its 220 employees busy.
The 75-foot demonstration quadrimaran is about 80 percent complete and would take six to eight weeks to complete.
Jim Thomas, Moon executive vice president and general manager, declined to comment on the case. by CNB