The container ship Ever Given moving on the Suez Canal, Egypt, on March 29. Photo: Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa via Getty Images
An attorney for the owner of the skyscraper-sized container ship Ever Given argued on Saturday that Suez Canal operators were at fault for the ship's grounding, according to Reuters.
Why it matters: The ship is currently detained in Egypt as the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) attempts to secure a $916.5 million claim against its Japan-based operator, Shoei Kisen. An Egyptian court is expected to make a decision the claim on Sunday, per Bloomberg.
The big picture: Shoei Kisen's legal team argued that Suez Canal operators were responsible because they allowed the massive ship to enter the waterway during high winds, which caused a sandstorm and poor visibility.
- Ahmed Abu Ali, a member of the legal team, told Reuters that operators failed to provide evidence proving a fault committed by the ship and that tugboats should have accompanied the Ever Given during its trip through the canal.
- The ship owner is claiming $100,000 in compensation from canal authorities for losses related to the ship's detention, which it argues was legally flawed.
- The SCA has previously denied it was at fault, Reuters noted.
The intrigue: A supermoon ultimately helped free the massive ship, which paralyzed the vital shipping route for almost a week in March.