Container ship seized with over $ 900 million claim on Suez Canal Business

The huge container ship Ever Given that blocked the Suez Canal for six days could face seizure by Egyptian courts as waterway operators fight for compensation from the disruption.

A court in the Egyptian city of Ismailia upheld a request by the Suez Canal Authority to seize the 200,000-ton, 1,312-foot vessel, local media reported.

Lt. Gen. Osama Rabie said giant Ever Given would not be allowed to leave the country until an amount of compensation was settled with the ship’s Japanese owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd.

“The ship is now officially seized,” he told Egyptian public television. “They don’t want to pay anything.”

There was no immediate comment from the shipowner.

The Ismailia-based authority is reportedly seeking $ 900 million in compensation for the disruption caused by the ship aground in the canal on March 23.

Ahram Gate, a news website run by the Egyptian government, said the court order would help the canal authority recover the costs incurred by the blockage.

The loss of revenue from transit charges, which start at around $ 100,000 per vessel, amounted to $ 15 million per day.

The canal operator is also asking for compensation for repairs to the damage caused when the Ever Given struck the right bank of the waterway, as well as the costs associated with dredging and rescue work.