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Shipping companies have paid over $10 million to cover the cost of outstanding fuel bills connected with bankrupt bunker supplier OW Bunker to avoid their ships from being arrested, Reuters reports.

U.S. court documents are said to show that 11 shipping companies including Exmar, Hapag Lloyd and Cosco Container Lines (Coscon) have agreed to pay around $10.3 million into court and a law firm's trust account since OW Bunker filed for bankruptcy in November.

According to Reuters, it was agreed last week that $938,607 be paid into the trust account of a law firm to cover unpaid bunker bills and thus prevent the detention of the container vessel Cosco Piraeus.

Robert O'Connor, associate at law firm Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads, which represents OW Bunker USA and OW Bunker North America and took action against Cosco Piraeus, is quoted as saying: "The ship is no longer under threat of arrest."

A bond for approximately $180,000 is said to have also been paid into court on behalf of Hapag Lloyd to cover unpaid bunker bills.

The U.S. bunker bill payments follow similar cases in Singapore where ship owners and operators have agreed to make payments into court rather than risk their vessels being arrested, claims for unpaid fuel bills being enforced and shipping companies losing thousands of dollars per day in revenue whilst a ship is detained.