In the spring, the “Ever Given” achieved a notoriety when logisticians and onlookers watched the container ship stranded in the Suez Canal for days as if spellbound. The important shipping route was not navigable for days because the “Ever Given” ran aground in strong winds and blocked the fairway since March 23rd.
After special forces got the ship free by March 29th, the maritime bottleneck between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea was navigable again for the general public, but the “Ever Given” itself was not allowed to leave the Suez Canal. She was held by the Egyptian authorities in the Suez Sea between the two northern and southern parts of the canal.
The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) then demanded compensation from the shipowner for the loss of income caused by the blockade of the canal for days and for the costs of the salvage. There was an ongoing dispute with the Japanese shipping company Shoei Kisen and the insurance companies involved about the amount.
The details of the agreement will initially remain secret
Courts were tried, but the court hearings were postponed several times in the spring to enable the two conflicting parties to reach an out-of-court settlement. It was reached in June, among other things because the Egyptian canal authority had lowered its initial demand from 916 million US dollars to 550 million US dollars.
In June, both sides finally agreed on a compromise on the details of which, however, neither the Egyptian canal authority nor the Japanese shipping company are willing to comment in public.
Only one thing is clear at the moment: The signing of the contract and the departure of the “Ever Given” are to be carried out on Wednesday as part of a small ceremony. The ship’s owner Shoei Kisen has now also confirmed this.
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