Whether a party that physically supplies a vessel with fuel or other necessaries possesses a statutory maritime lien where the vessel owner or its authorized agent ordered those necessaries and directed the supplier to provide them, regardless of contractual relationships between the vessel owner and intermediate parties

QUESTION PRESENTED The Commercial Instruments and Maritime Liens Act, 46 U.S.C. § 31342(a), affords a maritime lien against a vessel to any party that “provides necessaries to a vessel on the order of the owner or a person authorized by the owner.” The question presented is: Whether a party that physically supplies a vessel with fuel or other necessaries possesses a statutory maritime lien where the vessel owner or its authorized agent ordered those necessaries and directed the supplier to provide them, regardless of contractual relationships between the vessel owner and intermediate parties. (i)