UK Club, the liability insurer of ULCV Ever Given (IMO 9811000), which blocked the Suez Canal for six days between March 23rd and March 29th, has said that Ever Given owner, Japan-based Shoei Kisen, has filed an appeal in an Egyptian court over the detention of the vessel by local authorities.
The Club said that the appeal was filed on April 22nd before the Ismailia court of first instance. April 22nd was the last possible day for the filing of such an appeal, and the Club said that it had held off for as long as was possible before going once again to the court to attempt some kind of resolution. The appeal will be heard on May 4th.
The Club said that “despite the sincere efforts of the Ever Given’s owners and their insurers, it has not been possible to resolve this matter without the continued involvement of the Egyptian Courts”.
The appeal against the arrest was made on several grounds, including the validity of the arrest obtained in respect of the cargo and the lack of supporting evidence for the Suez Canal Authority’s “very significant” claim.
UK Club said that the Ever Given interests would “continue to negotiate in good faith with the SCA to reach an amicable resolution”.
It said that it was encouraged that the SCA recently allowed two of the vessel’s crew members to return home for compassionate reasons, while the vessel remains under detention.
Twenty-three of the 25 crew onboard at the time of the grounding remain onboard. They are being supported by two additional seafarers who have joined the vessel. All 25 crew onboard are Indian nationals.
The Club said that the crew were receiving “every possible support from the vessel’s owner and technical manager”, noting that the vessel was well- provisioned, and the crew had internet access and could speak with their families. “However they are concerned at the prospect of being unable to leave the vessel or continue their voyage”, the Club said..
The Ever Given has been anchored in a lake between two sections of the canal since being dislodged on March 29th and is caught in a legal dispute linked to a $916m compensation claim made by the SCA against Shoei Kisen.
The SCA said last weekend that investigations into the Ever Given’s grounding were continuing, alongside efforts to reach an agreement with the ship’s insurer and owner.
The SCA’s claim includes $300m for a “salvage bonus” (not the same as the cost of the salvage, which would be met by other insurers) and $300m for “loss of reputation”.
2018-built, Panama-flagged, 219,079 gt Ever Given is owned by Luster Maritime/Higaki Sangyo care of Shoei Kisen KK of Imabari-shi, Ehime-ken, Japan. It is entered with UK Club on behalf of Luster Maritime SA.