Ever Given
Ever Given (IMO 9811000) is a Panamanian-flagged container ship owned by Japan's Shoei Kisen Kaisha and operated by Taiwan's Evergreen Marine Corporation.[1][2] Built in 2018, the vessel measures 399.94 meters in length overall and 59 meters in beam, with a maximum container capacity of approximately 20,000 TEU, placing it among the largest ships of its type.[3][4]
On 23 March 2021, Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal during a northbound transit, wedging diagonally across the channel and halting all traffic for six days until refloated on 29 March after extensive salvage operations involving dredgers, tugboats, and tidal assistance.[5] The grounding stemmed from a combination of factors including sudden gusts up to 49 miles per hour, a sandstorm reducing visibility, navigational decisions such as speed adjustments ordered by canal pilots, and communication challenges between the English-speaking crew and Arabic-speaking pilots.[6][7][8] The blockage disrupted an estimated 12% of global trade, delaying billions in cargo and prompting widespread economic analysis of supply chain vulnerabilities.[9]
Post-incident, legal contention arose as the Suez Canal Authority demanded nearly $1 billion in compensation for salvage, lost tolls, and infrastructure damage, attributing fault to the vessel's operators, while the owner countered that the authority erred in permitting transit amid adverse weather.[10] The dispute resolved in July 2021 with a $540 million settlement, allowing Ever Given's release and resumption of service, though the event underscored risks of ultra-large vessel designs in constrained waterways.[11][12]