All eyes on Suez Canal: Ever Given heads toward Port Said as it braces to depart the waterway

After over three months of being seized in the Suez Canal, the 20,000 TEU containership Ever Given is underway using engine, heading towards the Port of Said, data from Marine Traffic shows.

 Based on the satellite images, the ship has been taken under tow and is being escorted by at least two tugs.

The giant containership will reportedly undergo a safety inspection at the Port of Said, situated at the northern end of the Suez Canal, before its heads toward its next destination.

Reuters reported earlier today that Ever Given would be escorted by two tugboats and guided by two experienced pilots, citing canal sources.

At this moment, very few details are available to the public with regard to the schedule for the ship’s departure from the waterway, where it got wedged diagonally in March, blocking traffic for six days.

Based on the latest update from Reuters, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) held a televised event today showing Ever Given finally weighing anchor as it gets official approval to depart the canal. The event at the authority’s headquarters in Ismailia marked the signing of the compensation agreement that was reached last week between SCA and the owners of the vessel.

Final details on the settlement amount have not been disclosed.

Initially, the Suez Canal Authority sought compensation worth $916 million, which the owners turned down as too high. Subsequently, the claim was reduced to $550 million.

Ever Given, with 25 sailors on board, was arrested on April 13, 2021, after negotiations on compensation fell through.

Egyptian court lifted the detention order on Tuesday, according to Ahmed Ali, a lawyer representing Shoei Kisen, cited by Reuters.

Offshore Energy has reached out to Ever Given’s owners and charterers as well as the Suez Canal Authority seeking more information.

Shoei Kisen Kaisha, owners of the ill-fated containership, confirmed in an official statement that, following the conclusion of a formal agreement with the Suez Canal Authority, the vessel and her crew have departed the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal.

“Ever Given will proceed to Port Said, Egypt where a dive survey of the vessel will be completed. Subject to approval from the vessel’s classification society, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Ever Given will then complete her voyage to the next port where her cargo will be discharged,” the company said.

The shipowner thanked the vessel’s master, officers and crew who played a vital role in the safe refloating of the vessel and in her maintenance over the last months.

“We are also pleased that our company’s excellent relationship with the Suez Canal Authority has been maintained and even strengthened through this experience. Our company has a large fleet of ships and will continue to be a regular and loyal customer of the Suez Canal,” the statement further reads.

The vessel’s insurer UK P&I Club also confirmed the news, thanking all parties on their efforts to bring about today’s outcome after more than three months of negotiations.

“We would like to acknowledge the work and expertise of the SCA and others whose professionalism and dedication resulted in the ship being refloated within seven days of her going aground in the canal. Over the last three months we, along with the ship’s owners and other interests, have worked closely with the SCA’s negotiations team to achieve today’s results,” the club said.

Evergreen Line, the charterer of the ship, said it was notified of the agreement and the fact that the ship’s arrest order has also been lifted.

“Evergreen sincerely appreciates the efforts of all concerned parties and will keep in close contact with the ship owner to resume the chartered vessel’s voyage,” the Taiwanese shipowner added.

Seafarers’ unions also welcomed the release of Ever Given, but warned that more must be done to safeguard seafarers’ rights and welfare during the pandemic.

“It will be an enormous relief for the crew on board and their families. But while we celebrate this outcome, our attention is still on the 200,000 seafarers trapped working on vessels unable to go home due to the worsening crew change crisis,” said ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton.

Exemptions for seafarers from border restrictions, and a global roll-out of Covid vaccines remain a priority.

National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) General Secretary-cum-Treasurer Abdulgani Y Serang said it was important that there were no charges or negative findings about the crew’s professionalism, but expressed disappointment that Egyptian authorities used the crew as leverage in financial negotiations with the ship’s insurer.

The ship, carrying about 18,300 containers, is expected to set sail towards Rotterdam in the Netherlands and then to the port of Felixstowe where it will offload its containers, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Japanese shipping company Shoei Kisen Kaisha has declared general average in connection with the grounding.