Opinion ID: 779336
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: To a Vessel

Text: 46 Ventura Packers unloaded the Ships when they arrived in port 188 times during the 1996-97 Ventura/Santa Barbara squid fishing season. The Owners claim that Ventura Packers' services were provided pursuant to a contract with IFC, and therefore, the services were provided to IFC and not to the Ships themselves. In essence, the Owners claim that Ventura Packers provided services to the Ships as IFC's subcontractor, and thus, that Ventura Packers is not a proper lien claimant. See The Juniata, 277 F. 438, 440 (D.Md. 1922) (rejecting subcontractor as a lien claimant). In the alternative, the Owners claim that Ventura Packers' services were furnished to IFC's fleet of ships and not to the Ships individually. See Piedmont, 254 U.S. at 8, 41 S.Ct. 1; Foss Launch & Tug Co. v. Char Ching Shipping U.S.A., 808 F.2d 697, 701-03 (9th Cir.1987). 47 Ventura Packers contends that it provided goods and services directly to each Ship and invoiced each Ship individually. Ventura Packers insists that, unlike the coal supply company in Piedmont, which provided bulk coal to a ship owner who then apportioned the coal among his fleet, it provided no bulk services to IFC. We conclude that a genuine issue of material fact remains regarding whether Ventura Packers' goods and services were provided to the Ships.