In Re Pacific Tuna Corp.

48 B.R. 74, 1985 Bankr. LEXIS 6602
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Texas
DecidedMarch 4, 1985
Docket19-70023
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 48 B.R. 74 (In Re Pacific Tuna Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Pacific Tuna Corp., 48 B.R. 74, 1985 Bankr. LEXIS 6602 (Tex. 1985).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BURT W. THOMPSON, Chief Judge.

On the 4th day of February, 1985, came on for consideration in the above styled and numbered cause the Motion of HGN Corporation (hereinafter “HGN”) to modify the automatic stay as to the Vessel Coinseca Beta; to determine the automatic stay is not applicable to the Vessel Coinseca Alpha and the Proceeds from the sale of the Vessels El Audaz and Centauro Del Norte and alternatively to Modify the Automatic stay as to the Vessel Coinseca Alpha and the Proceeds from the sale of the Vessels El. Audaz and Centauro Del norte. Due notice having been given, and the respective parties having appeared through their counsel of record. And, after considering the oral and documentary evidence presented at the hearing conducted on February 4 and February 5, 1985, the arguments of counsel and the briefs of HGN and the Debtor, Pacific Tuna Corporation (hereinafter “PTC”), the Court hereby renders the following Memorandum Opinion in support of its finding that the Section 362 automatic stay shall be lifted as to the Vessels Coinseca Alpha and Coinseca Beta in that the Debtor has no equity in these vessels, the Debtor is totally impotent to adequately protect the interest of HGN in these vessels, and that the Debtor is wholly incapable of effectuating an effective reorganization. The Court further finds that no jurisdiction exists in this Court over the proceeds from the sale of the El Audaz and the Centauro Del Norte held in the registry of the Federal District Court for the Southern District of California, San Diego Division, and that that Court has exclusive jurisdiction over the desposition of these funds.

In that connection, all Findings of Fact made herein may be considered Conclusions of Law, if appropriate. All Conclusions of Law made herein may be considered Findings of Fact, if appropriate. All Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law not expressly made herein are deemed made in support of this Memorandum Opinion.

The facts relevant as revealed by the pleadings and evidence may be summarized as follows.

On June 7, 1984, PTC filed its Chapter 11 petition in bankruptcy in this Court.

In consideration for a loan of approximately $7,000,000.00, PTC granted HGN a valid first lien, in the nature of a First Preferred Fleet Mortgage, in the Vessels Coinseca Alpha, Coinseca Bets, Centauro Del Norte and El Audaz.

*76 PTC defaulted under the terms of HGN’s note and mortgage. As a result, in March, 1983, HGN caused the El Audaz and the Centauro Del Norte to be arrested by the United States Marshal in San Diego, California, the Coinseca Alpha to be arrested by the Territorial Marshal in American Samoa, and the Coinseca Beta to be arrested by authorities in Vancouver, British Columbia. Simultaneously with the arrest, HGN commenced in rem admiralty and in person-am actions against the respective vessels and PTC in each jurisdiction. The action in San Diego is numbered Case No. 83-492-T, and styled HGN Corporation, Plaintiff v. the Vessels Coinseca Alpha, Centauro Del Norte, and El Audaz, in rem and Pacific Tuna Corporation, in personam, defendants (hereinafter “San Diego litigation”). The case in American Samoa is Civil Action No. 21-83, styled HGN Corporation v. the Vessel Coinseca Alpha, et. al., and Pacific Tuna Corporation, Defendants in the High Court of American Samoa, Trial Division (hereinafter “Samoan litigation”). The action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is Case No. T-609-83 between HGN Corporation and the ships Coinseca Beta, and those interested in her and Pacific Tuna Corporation (hereinafter “Vancouver litigation”).

The Federal District Court for the Southern District of California, San Diego Division ordered the El Audaz and the Centau-ro Del Norte sold. These vessels were sold and the proceeds from the sale, in the approximate amount of $6,500,000.00, were placed in the San Diego court’s registry account.

HGN’s lien in the El Audaz and Centauro Del Norte attached to the proceeds.

On August 8, 1984, the pending San Diego litigation was removed to this Court. Thereafter, on October 9, 1984, the San Diego litigation, upon Motion by Banco Na-cional Pesquero y Portuario S.A. (hereinafter “Banpesca”), was remanded to the United States District Court for the Southern District of • California, San Diego Division, for trial.

The remand order issued by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas, by the Honorable Joseph C. Elliott, was in the nature of conditional remand allowing the automatic stay to be modified pursuant to 11 U.S.C. Section 362 solely to permit the San Diego Court to rule upon the lien disputes between HGN and Banpesca, thereby reserving jurisdiction over the disposition of the proceeds.

The San Diego litigation was tried and an order entered in December, 1984, holding that Banpesca did not have a valid second lien against the Vessels Coinseca Alpha and Coinseca Beta or against the proceeds in the registry of the San Diego court. On January 9, 1985, Banpesca filed a notice of appeal in the District Court in San Diego.

On December 15, 1983, pursuant to a settlement between HGN and PTC, a stipulated judgment was entered in the Samoan litigation by the High Court of American Samoa. Pursuant to this judgment the High Court ordered HGN’s lien in the Coinseca Alpha foreclosed. A sale of the Coinseca Alpha was attempted by the Marshal of the High Court of American Samoa on August 15, 1983, but there were no bidders for the vessel. The Coinseca Alpha remains docked in American Samoa under the care and custody of the Marshal of the High Court of American Samoa.

No dispositive orders have been entered in the Vancouver litigation. Since March, 1983, the Coinseca Beta has been docked in Vancouver, British Columbia under the care and custody of the Admiralty Marshal of the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division.

As of February 4, 1985, PTC was indebted to HGN in the sum of $13,086,364.00 consisting of $10,987,324.00 in principal and interest and $2,099,040.00 in collection costs including interest on the funds advanced by HGN for its collection costs. Under the terms of HGN’s note, interest is computed on a compounded basis. As of the date of the trial, the daily accrual of interest was $7,258.00. In addition, the maintenance fees for the Coinseca Alpha *77 and the Coinseea Beta total $20,438.00 per month.

The question for consideration by this Court is whether sufficient grounds exist for the modification of the Section 362 automatic stay to allow HGN to foreclose on its First Preferred Fleet Mortgage against the Coinseea Alpha, the Coinseea Beta and the proceeds from the sale of the Centauro Del Norte and the El Audaz currently held in the registry of the Federal District Court in San Diego. As a condition precedent to the determination of the Section 362 issue, the Court must ascertain whether jurisdiction lies in this Court to permit modification of the stay as to the Coinseea Alpha and the proceeds held in the Court registry in San Diego.

I. JURISDICTION

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Bluebook (online)
48 B.R. 74, 1985 Bankr. LEXIS 6602, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-pacific-tuna-corp-txwb-1985.