[ruzbehxyz]

21st June 2021.

Ever Given’s Owners Make A New Compensation Offer Over Suez Canal Blockage.

The owners of a gigantic container ship that had blocked the Suez Canal in late March have made a fresh offer in an ongoing compensation dispute with the canal authority, one of the authority’s lawyers said on Sunday.

The ship’s Japanese owners and insurers have disputed the aforesaid claim and its detention per the order of an Egyptian court.

Negotiations continued until Saturday. Khaled Abu Bakr, an SCA lawyer, told a court ruling over Ever Given’s detention in Ismailia. Shoei Kisen, the owner, had given a fresh offer, he said, without sharing more information.

The SCA’s chairman had said earlier that Shoei Kisen had proposed to make a payment of $150 million.

The case was postponed till July 4 to permit a”friendly settlement” between the two parties.

This week one of the insurers of Ever Given, UK Club, said it had engaged in constructive negotiations with the SCA team and was also hopeful to come to a positive resolution to the negotiations in the future.

Source: https://www.marineinsight.com/shippi...-blockage/amp/

[anivy]

Bloomberg has the inside story of the ship that broke global trade. The syndicated feed of this article is also available on the NDTV site for those who run into paywall issues with the linked article.

[ruzbehxyz]

Splash reported on Wednesday that an agreement in principle has been reached over a compensation claim between the SCA and Shoei Kisen. No dollar figure has been made public, nor an official timeframe for the ship’s departure. The Wall Street Journal suggested the preliminary deal calls for about $200m in compensation, while in a televised interview on Thursday night, SCA chairman Osama Rabie said he believed an agreement could be reached within 15 days.

“It may take some further time for the agreement to be concluded, for the vessel to be released from arrest and prepared for onward transit,” ship operator Evergreen Line said in a statement.


The ship entered the canal in stormy conditions, with strong winds. A seafarer who was on a ship further ahead in the convoy told Splash that he experienced gusts of wind that day of up to 50 knots. The master of an LNG carrier the day prior had taken the decision to delay transiting, fearful of the inclement conditions.

A few kilometres into Ever Given’s transit, placed 13th in the 20-ship convoy, the 400 m long ship veered from port to starboard and back again. In response, according to court documents seen by Businessweek, the lead SCA pilot instructed the helmsman to steer hard right, then hard left.

“The Ever Given‘s vast hull took so long to respond that by the time it began to move, he needed to correct course again. When the second pilot objected, the two argued,” the article states.

The lead pilot then gave a new order: “Full ahead.” The ship sped up to 13 knots, five knots faster than the canal’s recommended speed limit. The two pilots continued to argue, with the lead pilot even threatening to leave the ship.

The increase in power created unforeseen problems in the shape of what is known as Bernoulli’s principle, whereby a fluid’s pressure goes down when its speed goes up. The ship’s prow ended up lodged on the right bank of the canal, thrusting shipping into the mainstream media for the following week.

As the two SCA pilots readied to leave the ship in the wake of the accident, the pilots were heard to still be arguing between themselves.

“These vessels are not supposed to enter,” the lead pilot said.

“Why did you let it enter?” his colleague responded.

The lawyer representing the ship’s owner submitted recordings from the Ever Given‘s voyage data recorder into evidence.

The SCA, for its part, continues to deny its pilots were to blame for the accident.

Source: https://splash247.com/damning-report...he-ever-given/

[ruzbehxyz]

04th July 2021.

The owners and insurers of the Ever Given container ship that blocked the Suez Canal in March said on Sunday a formal settlement had been agreed in a compensation dispute, and the canal authority said the vessel would be allowed to sail on July 7.

"Preparations for the release of the vessel will be made and an event marking the agreement will be held at the Authority's headquarters in Ismailia in due course," Faz Peermohamed of Stann Marine, which represents owner Shoei Kisen and its insurers, said in a statement.

The SCA said the settlement contract would be signed on Wednesday at a ceremony, and that participants would be able to watch the ship leaving.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle...es-2021-07-04/

[ruzbehxyz]

07 July 2021.

Ever Given container ship begins exit from Suez Canal 106 days after getting stuck

The Ever Given started to head north in the late morning across the Great Bitter Lake, which separates two sections of the canal and where it had been moored with its Indian crew since being refloated on March 29.

It then joined the back of a northbound convoy, passing the site of a ceremony where the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) and representatives for the ship signed the compensation settlement that allowed for its release.

Canal sources said the Ever Given would be escorted by two tug boats and guided by two experienced pilots as it sails through the canal, one of the world's busiest waterways, towards the Mediterranean.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/ever-g...al-2021-07-07/

[ruzbehxyz]

https://youtu.be/oWb1jt36-Rs

[TrackDay]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

https://Youtu.be/oWb1jt36-Rs

Good to know that this is finally free ! Bet after the Titanic, this will be the most memorable shipping event that people have ever come across in the media. And what is this ceremony for ? The owners ended up paying like the World's most expensive parking ticket. Also one has to wonder the state of the cargo it was carrying

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Also one has to wonder the state of the cargo it was carrying

Well, if it is shipped in a container it means it is non-perishable. Whatever is in those containers was going to be in there for 4-8 weeks anyway.

Of course, they also do ship perishable and they are likely to have had refrigerated containers. I don’t see any reason they could not maintain power to the refrigerated containers for all that period. And the same applies there as well; it was stuff that was supposed to be in a refrigerated container for at least 4-8 weeks as well.

So there might be some damage, but I would imagine that the vast majority of the cargo is in good order. The main problem is that it will be delivered way too late. Some of it might not be required (e.g. fashion stuff perhaps)

But a lot of stuff will just find its way to its end destination, consumers or factories, just as if nothing has happened to it.

Jeroen

[sandeepmohan]

Bloomberg articles are generally legit. I'll leave it to the experts to figure out if any of this is true.

The Inside Story of the Ship that broke Global Trade

To summarize, the doco talks about a tiff between the Captain and the Pilots, wind, excess speed and basically a little luck in the end that did free the ship, aside from help provided by the experts in the field Smit Lamnalco

[dragracer567]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Bloomberg articles are generally legit. I'll leave it to the experts to figure out if any of this is true.

The Inside Story of the Ship that broke Global Trade

To summarize, the doco talks about a tiff between the Captain and the Pilots, wind, excess speed and basically a little luck in the end that did free the ship, aside from help provided by the experts in the field Smit Lamnalco

Just saw the video yesterday. I think the tiff was between the two pilots rather than the captain who tried to mediate between the two pilots.

I was watching this documentary on the HMS Duncan transiting through Istanbul into the Black sea and there was a similar tiff (but this time between the pilot and the ship navigator).

Perhaps someone who know more about the shipping industry can comment on this.

[sparky@home]

The SCA declared a state of Emergency, when the M/V Ever Given was to make a transit North to Rotterdam, last sunday, with a full load. It was a precautionary state for a smooth transit for the vessel.

The Suez Canal Authority raised the state of emergency within the navigational course of the canal, to safely cross the ship, and two tugs, one in the front and the other in the rear, were assigned to accompany the ship during its transit journey. In addition, the Suez Canal Authority chose two of its best senior guides, to guide the Panamanian ship during its journey, which may take about 10 hours.

As they say "once bitten, twice shy".

https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena...-ship-returns/

[ruzbehxyz]

13.02.2023.

It’s still not over.

A.P. Moller-Maersk confirmed that it has filed a lawsuit against Japan’s Shoei Kisen, the owner of Ever Given, and Evergreen, the operator of the container vessel, which caused serious global supply chain difficulties, blocking the Suez Canal for around a week in 2021.

”We can confirm that Maersk has filed a claim against Evergreen, the ship’s owner and the vessel’s technical manager at the Danish Maritime and Commercial High Court. The claim is related to the losses Maersk suffered during Ever Given’s blockage of the Suez Canal in March 2021,” a Maersk spokesman told Container News.

Local media in Denmark, where Maersk's headquarters are located, report that the claim reaches US$40 million, but the Danish container shipping company did not confirm the amount of the claim.

"We have not confirmed the claim figure being mentioned in some media," pointed out the carrier's spokesman.

Source: https://container-news.com/maersk-su...ibextid=Zxz2cZ

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

13.02.2023.

It’s still not over.

Would you know the fate of the Captain of this Evergreen containership that ran aground last year in the Suez last year. i hope he has not been made the scape goat. I have two cousins both who became Master Mariners who told me that the Egyptian pilots are a hit and miss lot. As a sea-going Master can you toss in your views. Thanks.

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Would you know the fate of the Captain of this Evergreen containership that ran aground last year in the Suez last year. i hope he has not been made the scape goat. As a sea-going Master can you toss in your views. Thanks.

I don’t know the fate and details of the Master. The only thing best the Master could have done is refused the transit. He could have only done this if he had solid evidence for the weather predictions which anyway may not be so accurate. The results of this action would be serious as other ships big and small were doing the transit, although the windage area of the subject vessel was maximum and hence most affected. This would anyway not be a prime option as the weather was not continuously bad.
Coming to the actual scenario. Everybody knows it’s the Master in command and the pilot is just advising, however consideration has to be given to the pilots orders. There is very less the Master could have done as the vessel had already entered the canal and she can’t turn around. Reducing speed may not be affective, increasing speed needs time and any other action is too late for the vessel to respond considering the width of the canal. Besides there are not many such large ships in the world, so pilots also don’t have enough experience. I’m not even sure if pilots are actually trained to handle ships basis windage area, which is so large for this particular ship.
Although not in this case, what is saddening to see is that ships crew especially Masters are criminalised for things which are unreasonable and some not under their control.

[ruzbehxyz]

11.Jul.2023.

Panama Flag state Issues Report Critical of SCA Pilots in Ever Given Grounding.


More than two years after the grounding of the Ever Given containership in the Suez Canal, the Panama Maritime Authority’s Marine Safety Investigation Report has been filed with the International Maritime Organization and become public. As the flag state for the vessel, Panama’s investigative team had access not only to the crew but also to the bridge data recorders and was able to give the most comprehensive analysis of the events.

Panama’s report is critical of the Suez Canal pilots and their performance during the transit and their actions leading up to the grounding. They highlight multiple issues ranging from communication to their management of the vessel. They also cite elements from the crew’s actions while highlighting that the vessel and its navigation equipment were all in good order and were not an issue in the event.

On the night before the transit, data shows the vessel had experienced high winds in the anchorage and at one point the Ever Given along with at least one neighboring container ship were both dragging anchor. Due to the high winds, the captain had repositioned the Ever Given.

The first pilot came aboard at 5:48 am on March 23, 2021, with the role of starting the convoy and getting the containership into the Suez Canal. Data shows there was discussion over the correct position of the Ever Given in the convoy. Panama concludes that the first pilot had not been updated by the authorities on the positions in the convoy but the transit got underway without incident. The first pilot was aboard for about one hour and 40 minutes before handing over to two other pilots for the transit.

At around the time of the handover, around 7:20 a.m., winds had increased dramatically with gusts up to 40 mph, and blowing sand was greatly reducing visibility. The master and pilots were having difficulty maintaining the Ever Given’s position in the center of the channel and the pilot ordered an increase in speed to 12 knots. The Suez Canal’s designated maximum speed is 8.64 knots, but Panama notes excessive speed however is not uncommon while transiting the Suez Canal.

One of the pilots was officially giving the orders while the other was advising and monitoring the transit. Under Suez Canal rules, the pilots are advising the vessel while the master remains in official command. Panama notes that on at least two occasions the master of the Ever Given intervened, changing the pilot’s orders for rudder position. Panama notes the pilot was ordering the rudder from hard to port to hard to starboard, never to midships and not giving the helmsman a course to steer to.

Panama reports from analyzing the voice data recording that the pilots were conversing in Arabic, although the 25-member Indian crew, including the master, did not speak Arabic. They translated the Arabic from the recording and found that the pilots were arguing, and by 7:37 a.m. “It appears the pilots started to realize that they could not control the vessel and that there was a risk of grounding.”

The pilot who was monitoring the transit was calling for slowing the vessel and giving the helmsman specific course directions instead of rudder commands. By 7:38 a.m. the Ever Given is moving first to port and then starboard while the pilots first reduce speed and then increase speed. The vessel appears to be moving from one side of the channel to the other and back again. Three minutes later the vessel is aground with the master intervening attempting to get the ship free.

Panama identifies a list of factors contributing to the grounding. While a voyage plan had been prepared and reviewed, they said the pilots did not take into consideration weather conditions and did not request assistance from tugs. The speed was in excess and the commands were only hard over orders for the rudder.

From the beginning of the transit, the Ever Given was deviating from the planned course creating a “swing effect” in the navigation. Further, the pilots failed to consider the effect of squat, bank suction, and bank cushion on the navigation. The pilots were not verifying the ship’s position to the planned course and not consulting with the master who had a better knowledge of the Ever Given and its navigation.

“Language difficulties can also add to the problems associated with the pilots and these should be considered,” the investigation found. “In the case of the Ever Given, although the pilot’s orders were given in English, the discussion between them was always in Arabic, therefore the bridge team could not understand the pilots’ concerns (if any), the potential hazards,…” the report concludes.

The report provides a long list of recommendations both for vessel operators and the Suez Canal. For vessels making the transit, they recommend crew training, ensuring clear communication with the pilot, evaluating the pilot’s actions, and monitoring the vessel’s progress.

Key among the recommendations to the Suez Canal Authority is that all navigation communications should be in English because Arabic discussions about navigation can not be understood by the master or crew. They also recommend that as ships are getting larger, the pilots should be getting additional training for the navigation of large vessels and the impact of weather. They are also recommending refresher courses for Suez Canal pilots with respect to squat, bank suction, and bank cushion effects on different types of ships that transit in the Suez Canal, as well as on canal characteristics (winds, currents, depth. etc.).

While they find that the master and crew’s interventions were ineffective in preventing the grounding, the Panama Maritime Authority’s report cites multiple issues with the pilots that they believe need to be addressed. They also call on the Suez Canal Authority for better preparation, warnings, and salvage capabilities to prevent similar grounding that blocks the canal for an extended period of time.

Source: The Maritime Executive.
Link: https://maritime-executive.com/artic...iven-grounding