Boskalis wants to receive more money through its subsidiary SMIT Salvage for refloating the container ship that temporarily blocked the Suez Canal two years ago. The subsidiary has therefore filed a lawsuit against the Japanese owner of the ship.
SMIT believes extra money is necessary because a dangerous situation arose for employees during the removal. Two tugboats were in danger of being sucked under the ship when it broke free. Only swift action by SMIT personnel, who were able to release the tow ropes, could prevent this.
The company therefore wants to submit a so-called salvage claim. This can generate tens of millions of euros. But ship owner Higaki Sangyo Kaisha would block this claim. According to lawyers from the Japanese company, SMIT did not play a major role in pulling it loose. The management would have been in the hands of the manager of the Suez Canal.
The case has been brought before the UK court, where maritime claims are usually fought. If SMIT gets permission for the claim, it could yield the company more than 30 million euros.
The container ship Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal in March 2021. The canal is part of one of the most important sea routes in the world.
Because the ship was stuck for days, many ships could not pass through the canal. This resulted in long shipping queues on both sides.
With the help of SMIT, the ship was pulled free after six days and the vessel was able to continue its journey to, among other things, the port of Rotterdam.
