09/07/2021 Ever Given was human error but it won’t happen again, says Suez Canal chair :: Lloyd's

z Canal chair :: Lloyd's List

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Ever Given was human error but it won’t happen

again, says Suez Canal chair
In an exclusive interview with Lloyd’s List, Suez Canal Authority chairman Osama Rabie
describes the circumstances that led to Ever Given becoming jammed across the canal in high
winds on March 23, halting traffic in both directions and disrupting global trade
08 Jul 2021 ANALYSIS

by Richard Meade
@Lloydslisted
richard.meade@informa.com

The Ever Given’s master was solely responsible for the decisions and actions that led to the blockage of the
Suez Canal, but the protracted three-month negotiation, which saw Egypt detain the vessel and its crew until
an estimated $550m settlement was paid, was ‘amicable’ and ‘everyone left happy’, says Admiral Rabie

RABIE: ‘THE PILOT GIVES HIM HIS POINT OF VIEW, HE GIVES HIM GUIDANCE, Source: Suez Canal Authority
BUT IT’S UP TO THE MASTER IF HE WOULD LIKE TO COMPLY WITH IT OR
NOT.’

HUMAN error was the root cause of the grounding that blocked the Suez Canal for six days in March, but an
incident of that scale will not happen again, according to the canal authority chairman Osama Rabie.
Speaking to Lloyd’s List following the ceremony that saw Ever Given leave the canal’s Great Bitter Lake
anchorage after three months of protracted negotiations, Admiral Rabie said lessons had been learned,

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09/07/2021 Ever Given was human error but it won’t happen again, says Suez Canal chair :: Lloyd's List

investments in safety and salvage infrastructure had been made, and the estimated $550m settlement deal
reached between all parties had in the end been “fair”.
But ultimately he said that the vessel’s grounding was down to “human error” and pointed the finger of
responsibility directly at the containership’s Indian master.
“It was human error of course,” said Adm Rabie via a video link from his office at the Suez Canal Authority’s
Ismailia headquarters. “Other factors could have affected such an incident such as the wind speed, for
example, but we know the wind speed was not decisive in this incident, it was the problem of the pilot, of the
vessel, of the master of the vessel.

“And the final decision is always with the master of the vessel.”
While the SCA’s investigation report in the
grounding of Ever Given is yet to be published, court
case testimonies during proceedings between it and
Ever Given begins exiting Suez Canal after
Shoei Kisen Kaisha, the vessel’s Japanese owner, compensation deal
revealed a heated dispute between the two pilots on By Lloyd's List
board the vessel at the time of the incident. 07 Jul 2021
Recordings played in court and transcribed in a
Bloomberg article revealed how, a few kilometres The Ever Given is leaving the Suez Canal after its
into Ever Given’s transit, placed 13th in the 20-ship owners, insurers and the Suez Canal Authority
signed a deal for its release after a lengthy court
convoy, the 400 m long ship veered from port to
row over compensation for the salvage costs
starboard and back again.
Read the full article here
❯
The lead SCA pilot instructed the helmsman to
steer hard right, then left, but when he needed to
correct course again the second pilot objected and
the two argued, according to the transcript of the recording heard in court.
What happened next is well documented. As the vessel veered towards the side of the canal and increased
speed, the bank effect caused it to swing across the canal into the opposite bank, where it remained wedged
for six days, creating a backlog of more than 400 ships and a global media storm.

Adm Rabie, however, disputes any suggestion that the pilots held any responsibility for the grounding.
“There was no discrepancy between the two pilots — everyone shared their point of view on the bridge, that
is true, but I would like to stress that it is the final decision is always the master’s decision alone. The pilot
gives him his point of view, he gives him guidance, but it’s up to the master if he would like to comply with it
or not,” he said.
During the court case that ensued, Shoei Kisen’s legal team argued that the SCA was at fault for allowing the
vessel to enter during adverse weather conditions and not providing tugs.
Adm Rabie disputes this and points out that 12
other vessels of similar size had transited
northbound in the same weather with no issues, Deal reached on Ever Given, says UK P&I Club
while 32 vessels had managed the passage in the By Lloyd's List
opposite direction. 23 Jun 2021
“In bad weather conditions the ship’s master has
The UK P&I Club says it has reached an
the authority to refuse to cross the canal and he can
agreement in principle which will lead to the
also ask to change the pilot at any point during the
release of Ever Given from the Suez Canal where
transit, which did not happen in this case,” he said. 
it has been held since March when its grounding
caused a six-day shutdown of the key waterway

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09/07/2021 Ever Given was human error but it won’t happen again, says Suez Canal chair :: Lloyd's List

“I want to be clear in this, it will always be the Read the full article here
❯
responsibility of master, he has the full
responsibility for his vessel, and it’s up to him to
make a call on conditions which could negatively impact his transit.”
He is tight-lipped on the subject of settlement figures, pointing out that all parties signed strict
confidentiality agreements prior to finalising the deal being rubber stamped on July 7.
He said the owner had paid most of the money before the Ever Given’s departure, and the rest was expected
this month. He also said the company would fund a new tug as part of the deal — a mere fraction of the
overall investment being made to upgrade salvage and rescue infrastructure in the wake of the incident.

The SCA’s old fleet of tugs with a bollard pull of 75-150 tonnes were shown to be no match for Ever Given, so a
new fleet with double the power is now being purchased, along with a new supply vessel and multi-purpose
cranes that would have the capacity, according to Adm Rabie, to lighter the cargoes of any vessel in similar
incidents in the future.
Given the investment and the new training being rolled out across the SCA from cadets upwards to prepare
for future issues, Adm Rabie believe the Suez will not see another event like Ever Given.

“Actually, we’ve learned a lot from this incident and of course we need to increase our capacity and develop
our capabilities… but I am confident that this incident will not happen on such a scale again,” he said.
Despite the tense three-month negotiation and court case accusations from both sides, Adm Rabie reports
that relations with all parties remain professional. Asked why Ever Given was detained throughout the
negotiations, he simply described the negotiation process as “amicable” and based on mutual respect.
“Everyone at the end of the day was happy,” he said.

A flurry of statements from the Ever Given’s owner, Speed and control will be key to Ever Given
manager, insurer and most other parties even
dispute
vaguely associated with the incident universally
praised the efforts of the SCA in bringing the matter By James Baker
to an efficient conclusion. 04 Jun 2021

The carefully stage-managed ceremony which Ever Given was travelling above the Suez Canal’s
featured dignitaries, diplomats and company speed limit when it grounded. But weather
officials from around the world witness the signing conditions made higher speeds necessary for
of the deal, capped an episode that had proved a control, but also carried greater risk
public relations black spot for the canal’s
Read the full article here
❯
authorities following months of disputed
statements and legal exchanges.
Describing the process that saw the SCA climb down from its initial $900m claim for compensation to a more
manageable, $600m, Adm Rabie said that the negotiation was based on initial valuations of the vessel and its
cargo.
“After the owners applied a statement with the value of the vessel closer to $775m, well it was quite obvious
to reduce the compensation amount based on the new evaluations that we have received from the owners,”
he said.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed but the estimated $550m settlement will draw a line under what Adm
Rabie described as a “marathon negotiation”.
“What I can say is that the compensation is a sufficient number for the Suez Canal Authority and we have
maintained our strategic relations with our clients also through this amicable solution.”

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