Egyptian Presidential Advisor "Will Claim Losses and Costs from Shipowner"
Ever Given Shows Speed Violations and Abnormal Route at Time of Accident
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The large container ship Ever Given, which had been stranded in the Suez Canal, was towed out of the canal and the Suez Canal has reopened. Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have determined that the captain of the Ever Given is responsible for the accident and are reportedly demanding compensation payments from the shipowner.
On the 29th (local time), according to Russia's Sputnik News Agency, Mahab Mamish, Egypt's presidential advisor for port development and the Suez Canal, said in an interview with Sputnik News, "The responsibility for this accident lies with the captain of the Ever Given," emphasizing, "Such accidents are very rare, and the canal is completely safe." He added, "All costs, including compensation for damages caused by the ship grounding and tugboat fees, will be charged to the shipowner."
Earlier, Egyptian authorities suspected the cause of the accident to be either the captain's navigational incompetence or mechanical defects in the hull. The Ever Given side has continuously claimed that natural disasters such as the sandstorm blowing at the time of the accident were to blame. Osama Rabie, chairman of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), stated shortly after the accident, "Strong winds are not the main cause of the accident, and there is a possibility that mechanical defects or human error were involved."
The reason Egyptian authorities pointed to the captain as responsible is presumed to be due to the abnormal speed and course of the Ever Given at the time of the accident. According to Egyptian authorities, the speed limit within the Suez Canal is 7.6 to 8.6 knots, but the Ever Given was navigating at a speed of 13.5 knots just before grounding, and the ship's course was also reportedly very unstable.
If the captain is held responsible, fierce litigation is expected among the shipping company, shipowner, and insurers in the future. According to Bloomberg News, the shipping company of the Ever Given is Taiwan's Evergreen, and the shipowner is Japan's Shoei Kisen. Currently, there are more than 400 affected vessels, and daily delivery losses are estimated to exceed $9 billion, so intense legal battles over liability proportions are expected to continue for years to come.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
