Egyptian authorities confiscated the cargo ship Ever given, which was deposited in the Suez Canal a few days last month, ordering the shipowner to pay $ 900 million in compensation.
CNN reports that the Egyptian authorities ordered the owner of Ever Upon, the Japanese chartering company Shoei Kisen Kaisha, to pay the heavy bill for the losses caused by the stop of the traffic caused by the ship. The bill also includes maintenance fees and the costs of rescue operations, according to Egyptian news agency Al Ahram.
Shoei Kisen Kaisha responded by saying that insurance companies and lawyers deal with claims and declined to comment further, CNN reports.
The Ever Give was successfully re-launched on March 29, after almost a week of blocking. The ship had prevented more than 450 other ships from passing through the canal. The Suez Canal completely reopened on April 3.
Shortly after the ship was released, General Ossama Rabei, head of the Suez Canal Authority, said Egypt could seek compensation of up to $ 1 billion to cover lost transit fees and the cost of tugs used to dislodge the boat.
“This is the law of the land,” Rabba would have said at the time. “It should be due to him.”
CNN reports that the UK Club, one of the ship’s insurers, has questioned the basis of Egypt’s request.
“Despite the magnitude of the demand which was largely unacceptable, their owners and insurers negotiated in good faith with the SCA. On April 12, a careful and generous offer was made to the SCA to settle their claim,” the UK Club said in response. at the request of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).
Ever Upon technical managers Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) said the ship was ready to sail to Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea before being detained, according to CNN.
“SCA’s decision to arrest the ship is extremely disappointing,” BSM CEO Ian Beveridge told CNN. “From the outset, BSM and the crew on board fully cooperated with all authorities, including SCA and their respective grounding investigations … The main purpose of BSM is a speedy resolution to this issue that will allow the ship and crew to leave the Suez Canal. “