Cairo, Egypt:
An Egyptian court on Sunday rejected a complaint by the Japanese owner of a container ship that blocked site visitors in the Suez Canal for six days in March against the vessel’s continued detention by canal authorities, a lawyer stated.
The Ever Given, one of the world’s biggest container ships, became jammed across the canal in higher winds on March 23, halting site visitors in each directions and disrupting worldwide trade.
The complaint was attached to a case at the financial court in Ismailia in which the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) sought $916 million in compensation from the Ever Given’s owner Shoei Kisen.
Also on Sunday, the head of the SCA recommended in a Television interview that the canal could accept the lowered sum of $550 million, slightly decrease than the $600 million he had talked about earlier this month for a possible out of court settlement.
SCA Chairman Osama Rabie stated a $200 million deposit could be sufficient to safe the ship’s release, with the rest payable separately.
The Ismailia court on Sunday referred the case back to a court of initially instance, which is due to take into consideration it on May 29, stated Ahmed Abu Ali, one of the lawyers representing the owner.
Any ruling made by the decrease court could trigger appeals, stated an additional lawyer, Ahmed Abu Shanab, indicating that legal wrangling could drag on.
In a statement following Sunday’s ruling the SCA stated it bore no duty for the Ever Given’s grounding, reasserting that duty lay with the ship’s captain alone, and rebutting arguments made a day just before by Shoei Kisen’s legal group.
It also broke down its $916 million claim, citing the charges of freeing the ship and a salvage bonus stipulated in maritime law, material and reputational harm, and the diversion of some shipping away from the canal.
One boat sank in the course of the operation to absolutely free the ship, resulting in the death of a worker, the SCA stated.