A US federal court has ordered the arrest of a Chinese-controlled bulker for a second time after an Archer Daniels Midland unit alleged it overstayed its welcome in a Mississippi River cargo berth.

The arrest warrant was issued last Friday following a $1.1m lawsuit in Houston federal court from the US agricultural giant's American River Transportation Co.

The lawsuit alleges the 61,392-dwt CL Alice (built 2014) owed 125 hours — just over five days’ worth — of late charges after mechanical issues kept the ship from leaving the berth...