Egyptian Court Rejects Ever Given Owner's Appeal Against Container Ship Arrest - Reports

CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2021) An economic court in the Egyptian city of Ismailia on Tuesday ruled to support the arrest of the container ship Ever Given that blocked the Suez Canal in late March, thus rejecting an appeal of its Japanese owner, the Al-Ahram newspaper reported.

In April, the court ruled to seize the cargo ship until the owner pays $900 million in compensation to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) for salvage and maintenance expenses, as well as lost traffic fees for the six-day period that the ship had disrupted the navigation. Ever Given currently remains anchored in the Great Bitter Lake area, which is the widest section of the canal, with its 23-strong crew aboard.

On April 22, Japanese shipowner Shoei Kisen Kaisha filed an appeal before the Ismailia court against the arrest of Ever Given and its cargo. It also listed reasons for such a move, including its doubts over legitimacy of the arrest of the cargo and the lack of supporting evidence for the SCA's very significant compensation demand.

The 1,300-feet container ship Ever Given, operated by a Taiwanese firm, ran aground in the Suez Canal on March 23. After days of dredging and towing efforts, it was fully refloated on March 29, unblocking the vital trade link between Europe and Asia.