Egyptian authorities declared a state of emergency on Sunday as Ever Given, the container ship that blocked the Suez Canal for six days in March, returned to the waterway with a full load, heading to Rotterdam from China.
The 400-metre Panama-registered vessel arrived in Suez just after midnight on Saturday, where it was moored until it was given the signal to pass through the canal.
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The 'Ever Given', one of the world's largest container ships, sails in the Suez Canal after authorities agreed to a settlement with the vessel's owner and insurers. -
Men fish near the 'Ever Given', which blocked the Suez Canal for six days in March. -
The vessel was not allowed to leave Egyptian waters until an agreement was reached between its owners and the Suez Canal Authority. -
The 'Ever Given' sails in the Suez Canal. -
The blockage caused by the 'Ever Given' caused major disruption to international shipping. -
The 400-metre vessel became grounded while sailing through the Suez. -
The incident caused a logjam of hundreds of vessels waiting to pass through the vital waterway in Egypt. -
The 'Ever Given' was held in the Great Bitter Lake, off the canal, after it was freed. -
Journalists travel to see the 'Ever Given' leave the Suez Canal.
The Ever Given’s cargo this time is significantly heavier than it was when it ran aground in the canal and blocked maritime traffic in March, hitting shipping operators worldwide, according to Marwa Maher, a media representative for the Suez Canal Authority.
The state of emergency was declared to ensure a smooth passage for the massive vessel, which was passing fully loaded with cargo for the first time since the March incident, reported Egyptian state-owned daily Al Ahram on Saturday.
The ship also navigated the 193-kilometre canal in August, though at the time it was empty of cargo.
On Sunday, the 'Ever Given' entered the canal through it’s southern entrance, sailing in the same direction as when it ran aground in March. In August it was heading in the opposite direction while it made its way to China.
It reportedly underwent a month of repairs in China before starting out for Europe in November.
Sunday’s journey is the vessel’s 23rd through the canal.
Mapping data provided by Vessel Tracker, an online tool that tracks worldwide maritime traffic, revealed on Sunday that the ship was close to fully loaded, with a draft just under its maximum of 16 metres.
A ship’s draft is the distance between the waterline and the deepest point of its body.
After the ship was refloated in March, it was detained at the Great Bitter Lake, halfway through the canal, pending a legal dispute between the canal’s authority and the ship’s owners over the compensation sum for the blockage, the resulting loss in revenue and damages sustained to the canal.
The ship left Egyptian waters after a ceremony on July 7 in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, where the compensation contract was signed between canal officials and the ship owners' legal team.
Though the compensation sum was never officially announced by the canal’s authority, which is characteristically tight-lipped about the inner workings of the waterway, The National received confirmation that it had received $540 million from the owners before allowing the vessel to depart Egyptian waters.
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Ever Given docks in the UK - in pictures
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The container ship 'Ever Given' arrives at the UK's Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk. -
The huge container ship that blocked the Suez Canal will dock in the UK for the first time since causing disruption to global shipping. -
Shipspotters flock to England's Suffolk coast hoping for a glimpse of the boat. -
The 400-metre vessel unloaded most of its 18,300-container cargo at Rotterdam Port ahead of its arrival in the UK. -
Spectators watch the ship arrive in port from the beach in Felixstowe. -
The 'Ever Given' ran aground in Egypt's Suez Canal on March 23 after reportedly losing the ability to steer during dusty and windy conditions. -
The 'Ever Given' passes beachgoers as it arrives at the Port of Felixstowe. -
A yacht sailing past the 'Ever Given' helps to illusrate the sheer size of the container ship.
