From bamboo to barbecues: the cargo caught up in Ever Given legal battle
Lemons, bamboo shoots and tofu sit in the sweltering heat, alongside goods from Lenovo, Ikea, Dixons Carphone and dozens of other brands – including barbecues, sun loungers, swimwear, lawnmowers and camping equipment – that will arrive at their intended destinations long after summer ends.
Since the successful operation in late March to dislodge the 220,000-ton Ever Given from the Suez canal, where it was stuck for six days, the cargo ship has been grounded again – this time by a fierce legal battle between the ship’s owners, insurance companies, and the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).
In late April, Egypt declared that authorities were detaining the ship, her 26-person crew and millions of pounds in cargo, until its owners paid compensation for the blockage.
The ship is unable to sail out of Egyptian waters until the problem is resolved. “We’re frustrated. Some of our clients are outraged,” said Jai Sharma of the law firm Clyde & Co, which represents producers of more than $100m worth of cargo onboard the Ever Given. Although the cargo remains officially detained, physically removing it from the gigantic ship is unlikely to become an option as it requires equally gigantic cranes to move it, at a port deep enough to accommodate such a large vessel.
