Bangladesh has detained a fertilizer-laden Indian ship after a court issued a warrant ordering authorities not to allow its departure until a Rs 12 crore admiralty suit was settled, officials said.

"We have received the (High Court) order. But the ship was detained beforehand for safety reasons as it developed cracks over two months ago as it was anchored at the outer anchorage of the port," an official of the Chittagong Port Authority told PTI.

Deputy port conservator Captain Nazrul Alam said under the port conventions, no vessels with major technical faults like cracks were allowed to leave the port until it regained fitness for sea voyages.

The Indian flag career MV Ocean Pearl was faced with the admiralty suit filed by the supplier of the cargo on board claiming a compensation of over Taka 19 crore (Rs 12 crore) for alleged loss of some cargo while the court order was issued on Thursday.

'MV Ocean Pearl' was detained after the arrest order was issued by the High Court on Thursday, a senior customs official was quoted as saying by 'New Age' earlier.