For days, the container freighter "Ever Given" had blocked the Suez Canal. Now Egypt and the shipping company are apparently arguing about compensation. For safety's sake, the canal authorities had the ship chained up.
The blockade of the Suez Canal for days after the accident of the container ship "Ever Given" caused damage of around 900 million dollars.
At least that is how much compensation Egypt is now officially demanding. A court has now granted an application to seize the freighter in order to secure the claims. This is what the head of the canal authority, Ossama Rabie, told the newspaper "Al-Ahram" on Tuesday. The "Ever Given" had blocked the important trade route for six days.
The "Ever Given" was caught in a sandstorm on 23 March and ran aground. The 400-metre-long ship was then stuck transversely in the narrow canal, with more than 400 ships jammed in front of and behind it. Egypt lost revenue from the canal fees; in addition, according to Rabie, there were maintenance costs and costs for work to tow the ship free. This was achieved on 29 March.