The last 61 of 422 vessels that have been stranded due to the grounded Ever Given mega-ship will cross the Suez Canal on Saturday, ending the jam caused by the six-day blockage. 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 23 March. The Japanese-owned ship was re-floated successfully on 29 March. Osama Rabie, head of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said the 422 ships have been of a total net tonnage of 26 million tons, praising the authority's success to end the jam in a record time. Besides the 61 ships that are set to cross today, Egypt will also receive 24 new ships that will cross the canal after navigation was restored, Rabie added. About 12 percent of the world trade passes through the canal. Egypt said it will seek over $1 billion in compensation for the losses incurred from the blocking of the Suez Canal as well as the costs of re-floating the vessel. According to TV statements by Rabie, the SCA will also request to be reimbursed for the expenses of using dredgers and tugboats for the re-floating process.
