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Court Allows Suez Canal to Keep Holding ‘Ever Given’

Ship Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, is seen after it was fully floated in Suez Canal, Egypt March 29, 2021. (Reuters)
Ship Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, is seen after it was fully floated in Suez Canal, Egypt March 29, 2021. (Reuters)
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Court Allows Suez Canal to Keep Holding ‘Ever Given’

Ship Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, is seen after it was fully floated in Suez Canal, Egypt March 29, 2021. (Reuters)
Ship Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, is seen after it was fully floated in Suez Canal, Egypt March 29, 2021. (Reuters)

An Egyptian court on Sunday rejected an appeal by the Japanese owner of the Ever Given container ship against the vessel’s detention in the Suez Canal.

The Ever Given ran aground on March 23 in high winds and remained lodged across the canal for a week.

The complaint was attached to a case at the economic court in Ismailia in which the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) sought $916 million in compensation from Ever Given's owner Shoei Kisen.

The Ismailia court on Sunday referred the case back to a court of first instance, which is due to consider it on May 29, said Ahmed Abu Ali, one of the lawyers representing the owner.

Any ruling made by the lower court could trigger appeals, said another lawyer, Ahmed Abu Shanab, indicating that legal wrangling could drag on.

In a statement following Sunday’s ruling the SCA said it bore no responsibility for the Ever Given’s grounding, reasserting that responsibility lay with the ship’s captain alone.

In another context, the acquisition of the 51 percent stake, approved by the cabinet on Wednesday, will be finalized in the third quarter, CEO Karim Awad told Reuters.

“Our share in the bank will be financed through the liquidity available to the company on its own. We have lots of liquidity,” Awad told Reuters, adding that EFG Hermes began working to fulfill all government conditions and approvals as soon as the cabinet approved the deal.

The Sovereign Fund of Egypt will also buy new shares worth 1.25 billion pounds, increasing AIB’s capital to 5 billion pounds, while the current owner, state-owned National Bank of Egypt, will retain a 24 percent stake.

“We are not entering the banking sector to compete with the big banks operating in Egypt,” Awad said.

“Rather, we are seeking to find a portion of the market to focus on to provide services to help it grow.”

He added that the new owners would retain all of AIB’s current employees but would study a possible change in the bank’s name.

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Iraq Arrests People in Connection with Ain al-Asad Attack

Norwegian soldiers prepare to board a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise at Ain al-Asad air base in July. (US Army)
Norwegian soldiers prepare to board a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise at Ain al-Asad air base in July. (US Army)
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Iraq Arrests People in Connection with Ain al-Asad Attack

Norwegian soldiers prepare to board a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise at Ain al-Asad air base in July. (US Army)
Norwegian soldiers prepare to board a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise at Ain al-Asad air base in July. (US Army)

Security forces have arrested five people in connection with an attack this week at the Ain al-Asad military base in Iraq in which four US troops and a US contractor were wounded, Iraqi officials said on Thursday.

“After in-depth legal investigations and listening to witnesses' statements, ... five of those involved in this illegal act were arrested,” the Iraqi Security Media Cell said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Iraqi security forces arrested four suspects in connection with the attack, a security source said.

Last Tuesday, the Joint Operations Command said it will arrest the perpetrators of the attack and bring them to justice after it received “critical” information about their identity.

US officials told Reuters that at least five US personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq on Monday.

The US officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said one of the Americans was seriously injured. The casualty count was based on initial reports which could still change, they said.

The attack came as the Middle East braced for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following last week's assassination in Tehran of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, coupled with the killing of the senior military commander of Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, by Israel in a strike on Beirut.

A political source told Asharq Al-Awsat, on Thursday that the arrest of people in connection with the Ain al-Asad attack aims to spare Iraq from a US response that could target the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

On Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declared that the US “will not tolerate” any attacks on its forces in the Middle East.

Soon after the attack on Ain al-Asad, Iraq's ruling Shiite coalition tried to prevent the collapse of a truce between the armed factions and US forces.

In its statement Tuesday, the Iraqi military condemned the rocket attack on the airbase as irresponsible.

“We reject all reckless actions and practices targeting Iraqi bases, diplomatic missions, and the whereabouts of the international coalition's advisers, and everything that would raise tension in the region,” the Iraqi statement said.

It also pledged to arrest the people in connection with the attack.

On Monday evening, the Coordination Framework held a meeting at the residence of the head of the Badr Organization, Hadi Al-Ameri, in Baghdad, to discuss the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the expected Iranian response after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Media outlets said the meeting also tackled the need to “support the government in keeping Iraq out of the wider specter of war.”

Iraq hosts 2,500 US troops and has Iran-backed militias linked to its security forces. It has witnessed escalating tit-for-tat attacks since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October.