Maersk Sues Evergreen Over Suez Canal Blockage

February 13, 2023

Global shipping traffic was disrupted in 2021 when Ever Given, one of the world's largest containerships, got stuck in the southern section of the Suez Canal for about a week. (File photo: Suez Canal Authority)

Shipping group Maersk said on Monday it had filed a lawsuit against the owner and operator of container ship Ever Given, which blocked the Suez Canal for six days in 2021, claiming compensation for delays caused by the incident.

The Danish company did not disclose the size of the claim or when it was filed. The news was first reported by industry media ShippingWatch.dk.

"Maersk has raised a claim against Evergreen, the ship's owners and the technical manager at the Danish Maritime and Commercial High Court, because Maersk suffered losses in connection with Ever Given's blocking of the Suez Canal," a spokesperson told Reuters.

Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, became jammed across the canal in high winds for six days in March 2021, halting traffic in both directions and disrupting global trade.

The ship is chartered by Taiwanese shipping company Evergreen from Japan's Shoei Kisen, which owns the ship.

Evergreen could not immediately be reached for comment. Shoei Kisen declined to comment.

($1 = 6.9757 Danish crowns)

(Reuters - Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard; Additional reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Mark Potter)