Maersk sued Evergreen and the ship owner for the Ever Given ship over blockage
Most people remember the massive ship congestion in the Suez Canal two years ago. On March 23, 2021, the Ever Given container ship operated by Evergreen Shipping ran aground in the Suez Canal, causing congestion in the channel, disrupting the navigation of as many as 400 ships, and delaying global trade for several months. Now, this black swan incident has entered the claim stage.
Maersk sued the shipowner and Evergreen
Recently, Maersk sued Evergreen Shipping and other companies in this matter, claiming $43 million. According to a report on February 13, according to Maersk’s calculations, the Suez Canal was blocked in 2021, causing about 50 Maersk container ships to be unable to pass through this important trade channel. finally, it caused serious delays. At present, Maersk is seeking compensation of approximately $43 million from the charterer Evergreen Shipping, the German ship company Bernhard Schulte, and the ship owner Shoei Kisen Kaisha.
A Maersk success in the case could open the door to a series of claims worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Maritime Danmark. CMA CGM and Mediterranean Shipping Company are also closely following the case. However, the industry predicts that the progress of the case will not be too fast. Since the companies being sued are registered in Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong, the trial of the case needs to overcome many difficulties. According to media information, the first meeting will be held at the end of this year or early 2024.
Evergreen Shipping denied responsibility
Two years ago, the container ship Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal, causing the canal to be blocked. Global trade was delayed for several months, freight rates soared, and containers were seriously lacking, becoming a black swan event in the history of shipping. As a shipping giant with over 15% of the world’s shipping capacity, Maersk was seriously affected by this incident and suffered claims from customers. However, Evergreen has denied any liability to Maersk. The company stated that since Ever Given was chartered by Evergreen Shipping under a time charter agreement, all costs and any responsibility for the salvage operation was borne by the ship’s owner, Japan’s SHOEI KISEN KAISHA. At present, Japan-based owner Steamship has not yet responded to the matter.
For this, some shipping experts pointed out that the general average is based on the rules of Maritime Law. In order to maintain the common safety of dangerous property in the public ocean, when a ship encounters danger, shipwreck, and other problems, in order to survive the danger together, the container on the ship must be sacrificed or paid for. Special expenses, directly resulting in expenses and losses, must be jointly borne by the ship and cargo parties. Maersk is far from the only one suffering from the blockage of the Suez Canal. At that time, the six consecutive days of the world’s major ship congestion severely disrupted the transport cycle of freighters passing through the canal. Statistics show that a few days after the grounding incident, more than 350 ships were waiting in line, and nearly $9.6 billion in ships were waiting in line every day. Previously, the Suez Canal Authority alone sued Evergreen for $900 million in damages, but the final settlement amount was rumored to be lower than that figure. Claims related to the blockage could total $2 billion, French insurer Scor SE said, with the cost largely borne by its reinsurance unit.
