A company linked to Cypriot billionaire Polys Haji-Ioannou is suing Sri Lanka's state oil company for $8m, alleging unpaid bills and a wrongful arrest.

Argos Shipping, registration company for 34,995-dwt Argos (built 1996), filed suit in Houston federal court Monday alleging Ceylon Petroleum Corp chartered the tanker, failed to make agreed upon payments, then had the ship arrested in Sri Lanka and held for six months.