Ever Given container ship while it was on its way to the bitter lake after the successful attempt to refloat it on Monday (Photo: Suez Canal authority)
The investigations into the Ever Given Ship crisis in the Suez Canal will start on Wednesday, Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Adviser Captain Sayed Sheyshe said on Tuesday.
In statements to ON E TV show ‘Last word’ on Tuesday night, Sheyshe revealed that the SCA asked for the black box of the ship from its crew but they had not delivered it then.
“The SCA sent an email to the Panamanian ship two days ago to hand over its black box to start the investigations but it has not replied,” he said, adding that it is a standard action from the side of the ships because they were waiting for a team from an international law firm to attend the investigations.
In the case that the Ever Given does not reply and hand over its black box then the investigations will turn into a civil lawsuit and an order to seize the ship will be issued.
Nevertheless, Sheyshe expected that the investigations will conclude within four days at the maximum.
The SCA will receive on Wednesday all information about the ship before and during the accident of running aground and blocking the Suez Canal diagonally a week ago, he added.
The authority will also look into its accident reports as well as its hardware and maintenance reports along with the communications and calls of the ship during the incident till its end.
The actions and the orders of the Ever Given’s captain will be investigated.
The investigation team formed by the SCA is specialised in marine accidents and black box technology.
“The investigations will be public because it is an international event” Sheyshe said, adding that the team includes a legal expert , engineer, and a specialist in loses and compensations.
The 400-metre-long Ever Given, which was on its way from China to the port city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, veered off course and ran aground diagonally while it was passing through the international trade route on Tuesday morning of last week.
The gigantic ship, which had been wedged sideways across the waterway for six days, left around 422 vessels queued in the waterway or at anchor, awaiting transit through the canal.
Egypt succeeded in refloating the mega container ship on Monday, thus allowing navigation into the strategic waterway to resume.
Currently, the Ever GIven is in the Bitter Lakes of the Suez Canal.
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