An Interunity Management-linked shipowner has fired back at Chembulk Tankers, accusing the Connecticut shipowner of behaving badly for years before the company finally axed a long-term charter in August.

Lantern Maritime, the registered owner of the Interunity-managed 26,198-dwt Chem Ranger (built 2010), has filed a $5.6m lawsuit filed in Houston federal court accusing Chembulk of a host of transgressions, including loading the ship with bad fuel, paying the wrong person and attempting to load corrosive acid over Lantern's protests.