A long-standing legal battle between Taiwanese shipowner Nobu Su and Monaco-based owner Polys Haji-Ioannou has spilled into a New York state court amid arguments over process serving.

At stake is a $37.9m judgment against Su from the UK’s High Court in 2014, which centred on a failed deal over forward freight agreements between Su and Haji-Ioannou from 2008.

The plaintiff in the New York Supreme Court action is Haji-Ioannou’s Lakatamia Shipping, which is attempting to enforce the judgment against Su and six of his related companies.