A Dublin shipping manager has been granted an injunction in the High Court restraining Global Ocean Technologies Ltd, Noel Hanley and Hanley Marine Services Ltd from reducing their assets below €725,562.
Mr Gary Mc Carthy, counsel for Mr Ciaran Lawless, of Glenomena Park, Blackrock, said Mr Lawless, a master mariner, had managed a number of ships for Mr Hanley and his companies, which were involved in seismic and mapping studies of the ocean bed around Ireland.
He said Mr Hanley's enterprises had won a €12.7million Government contract in May 2000 to carry out the survey and hydrographical mapping of its Exclusive Economic Zone. When Mr Lawless terminated his agreement with the companies last November 90 per cent of the survey had been completed and a payment of only €1.27 million was outstanding.
Mr Lawless believed part or all of that had been or was due to be paid, and he believed Mr Hanley and his companies would transfer assets out of the jurisdiction.