SECTION 3--OF THE PRIVILEGE ON SHIPS AND MERCHANDISE

Art. 3237.  Privileges on ships and vessels, enumeration and ranking; prescription.

The following debts are privileged on the price of ships and other vessels, in the order in which they are placed:

1.  Legal and other charges incurred to obtain the sale of a ship or other vessel, and the distribution of the price.

2.  Debts for pilotage, towage, wharfage and anchorage.

3.  The expenses of keeping the vessel from the time of her entrance into port until sale, including the wages of persons employed to watch her.

4.  The rent of stores, in which the rigging and apparel are deposited.

5.  The maintenance of the ship and her tackle and apparatus, since her return into port from her last voyage.

6.  The wages of the captain and crew employed on the last voyage.

7.  Sums lent to the captain for the necessities of the ship during the last voyage, and reimbursement of the price of merchandise sold by him for the same purpose.

8.  Sums due to sellers, to those who have furnished materials and to workmen employed in the construction, if the vessel has never made a voyage; and those due to creditors for supplies, labor, repairing, victuals, armament and equipment, previous to the departure of the ship, if she has already made a voyage.

9.  Money lent on bottomry for refitting, victualing, arming and equipping the vessel before her departure.

10.  The premiums due for insurance made on the vessel, tackle and apparel, and on the armament and equipment of the ship.

11.  The amount of damage due to freighters for the failure in delivering goods which they have shipped, or for the reimbursement of damage sustained by the goods through the fault of the captain or crew.

12.  Where any loss or damage has been caused to the person or property of any individual by any carelessness, neglect or want of skill in the direction or management of any steamboat, barge, flatboat, water craft or raft, the party injured shall have a privilege to rank after the privileges above specified.

The term of prescription of privileges against ships, steamboats and other vessels shall be six months.