Ever Given container ship leaves Suez Canal 106 days after getting stuck

ISMAILIA (Reuters): The Ever Given, one of the world’s largest container ships, resumed its journey and left the Suez Canal last week, 106 days after becoming wedged across a southern section of the waterway for nearly a week and disrupting global trade.

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 29 March.

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 its release.

The ship was due to undergo a dive inspection of its hull in Port Said, at the northern end of the canal, before sailing to its next port to discharge cargo.

 The 400-metre (1,310-foot) vessel is loaded with about 18,300 containers. 

The SCA demanded more than $900 million for the salvage operation to free the Ever Given and other losses, later lowered to $550 million. The Ever Given’s owners and insurers had disputed its detention and the compensation claim.

After protracted negotiations, an undisclosed settlement between the parties was reached and the SCA announced that the ship would be released.

The agreement stipulated that neither party would make further claims, SCA Chairman Osama Rabie told reporters. He said the settlement comprised a lump sum and that some of it remained to be paid this month.