On March 23, 2021, the Ever Given container ship ran aground in the Suez Canal, blocking the waterway, disrupting navigation for as many as 400 ships and delaying global trade for months. Maersk is seeking compensation from Evergreen for the severe delays caused to about 50 Maersk container ships when the Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal two years ago.

Maersk calculated that more than 50 of its container ships had been unable to pass through the Suez Canal because of the grounding incident, causing severe delays. Maersk has filed a compensation claim against Evergreen to cover its losses as a result of the suspension. Maersk is seeking nearly 300 million Danish kroner ($43 million) in damages from lessee Eva, ship owner Shoei Kisen Kaisha of Japan and Bernhard Schulte Management, the German ship management company that hired the ship's crew. The sum includes, among other costs, claims Maersk has received from customers whose goods were transported by delayed ships.

The case has been going on for some time and is made more difficult by the fact that several of the companies being sued are registered in Japan, China's Taiwan and Hong Kong. A court date has not yet been scheduled. According to media sources, the first court hearing could take place at the end of this year or early 2024.

Evergreen has also denied liability to Maersk. "The Changi is chartered by Evergreen Marine under the terms of the time charter agreement and all costs and any liability for the refloating operation will be borne by the owner (Japan's Zenei Steamship)."

Shenzhen Xunlaitong specializes in shipping export from Shenzhen to Australia & New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands and more business

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