ABS Clears Ever Given To Sail

The technical manager of the containership Ever Given that became stuck in the Suez Canal last month said on Wednesday that the vessel was fit for onward passage but remains at anchor following it’s arrest by Egypt as canal authorities pursue a $916 million compensation claim.

The Ever Given was declared suitable for onward passage from the Great Bitter Lake to Port Said, where she would be assessed again before departing for Rotterdam. The technical manager, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), has confirmed that extensive inspections from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), the vessel’s classification society, which included underwater inspections have been concluded.

“The SCA’s decision to arrest the vessel is extremely disappointing,” said Ian Beveridge, CEO of BSM. “From the outset, BSM and the crew on board have cooperated fully with all authorities, including the SCA and their respective investigations into the grounding.”

It remains unclear when (or if) the Egypt’s compensation claim will be met. One maritime lawyer said that normally the shipowner would provide an agreed security that would allow the vessel and crew to continue on their way with a court setting a final award later but complicating the issue is the fact the owner has declared general average. General Average is a principle of maritime law that requires that the shipowner and its customers share a proportionate amount of the costs associated with saving a vessel after a major casualty.

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