The giant containership Ever Given has reached its planned destination in Rotterdam almost four months after it got stuck in the Suez Canal.
The 20,000 TEU containership has resumed its voyage to Rotterdam after receiving the official approval to depart the canal from the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).
The boxship arrived at Rotterdam’s container terminal on Thursday at 5 a.m. (local time). It moored at the Amazonehaven port basin at Maasvlakte.
The ship is expected to stay in Rotterdam until early August to unload the containers at the ECT Delta Terminal.
Once the unloading process is finished, it will continue its voyage to Felixstowe, England and the damage to the hull will be examined in Dunkirk.
“It is a special morning,” said Hans Nagtegaal , container director at the Port of Rotterdam Authority to local media.
“We have all seen her in the Suez Canal and that was world news. On the other hand, this is ‘business as usual’ for us. This type of ship arrives daily in Rotterdam.”
The Panama-flagged boxship got grounded on 23 March , blocking the waterway for days and causing a massive gridlock for the global trade.
Ever Given was freed six days later following a salvage operation that involved a flotilla of tug boats and dredging vessels.
After being dislodged, it was held by the SCA under court order while the authority sought compensation from the vessel’s Japanese owner Shoei Kisen and its insurers.
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Global trade was disrupted as hundreds of ships had to wait to pass through the 193km canal. About 15% of world shipping traffic transits the Suez Canal, the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia.
Ever Given is the largest ship to run aground in one of the world’s busiest waterways.