The owner of Ever Given claims that the Suez Canal Authority is to blame for the grounding of the ship, thus disputing the vessel’s detention and a compensation claim.
The Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal on March 23, remaining there for six days, disrupting global trade. Since then, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) pursued a $916.5 million claim against Japanese owner Shoei Kisen.
However, according to Reuters, lawyers representing Shoei Kisen claim that the SCA is responsible for allowing the ship to enter the waterway during bad weather. The lawyers also added that SCA has not provided proof of any fault by the ship.
What is more, recordings from the ship that were presented to the court showed disagreements between SCA pilots and its control centre over whether it should enter the canal, according to the lawyers.
Another claim is that the ship should have been accompanied by at least two tug boats suitable for the ship’s size “but this didn’t happen”.
In addition, the lawyers for Shoei Kisen also say that the Ever Given’s detention was legally flawed, while the process to release the ship was not “a salvage (operation) in the proper legal sense”. This means that the SCA could not seek compensation for such an operation.
Now, Shoei Kisen is claiming $100,000 in initial compensation for losses related to its detention.
It seems a not fair claim, since the SCA, does not hold power to oblige the vessel sail anywhere under bad weather.