YARMOUTH, N.S.—An American federal court has ordered the seizure of the money-losing ferry that links Nova Scotia with Maine.

The order against Nova Star Cruises, issued Friday, comes after the Nova Scotia government announced it was switching operating companies from Nova Star Cruises to Bay Ferries.

Documents obtained by the Portland Press Herald call for the “arrest” of the vessel and the seizure of “her engines, boilers, tackle, appurtenances, electronics, etc.”

The document alleges Nova Star Cruises failed to pay $195,897.52 (U.S.) in invoices to the harbour pilot boat company, Portland Pilots.

“Nova Star Cruises ... has failed to pay (Portland Pilots) for the work preformed and has thereby breached the terms of the maritime contract.”

The company charges a state-sanctioned $3,198.32 for each transit, but hasn’t received payment for 61 trips since Aug. 17, according to court documents.

Jim Meek, representative for Nova Star Cruises said Nova Star will not be doing interviews on the matter but did issue a short statement.

“Nova Star Cruises has paid most of its supplier costs,” he said in an email.

“We plan to pay all our suppliers as we have done over the past two seasons.”

Nova Star Cruises received $41.5 million in provincial subsidies in its first two years of operation.

Geoff MacLellan, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal said he heard about the seizure through the media, “like everyone else.”

“With last week’s announcement, the province effectively ended its relationship with Nova Star,” he said in an email. “We fulfilled our $13 million financial commitment to Nova Star Cruises and are now working to get an agreement in place with Bay Ferries, the new operator.”

The ferry fell well below its projected goal of 80,000 passengers this year.