Stuck, Released and Seized: Satellite Images Capture Seized Container Ever Given

Satellite images supplied to India Today TV by Maxar Technologies show the impounded giant container ship EVER GIVEN dwarfing other vessels in the Great Bitter Lake near the Suez Canal.

First, it was stuck in the narrow Suez Canal passage for days, then, it was released following a marathon budging operation and now the mega-ship EVER GIVEN has been impounded by the local authorities for not paying for the damages. Satellite images supplied to India Today TV by Maxar Technologies show the impounded giant container ship dwarfing other vessels in the Great Bitter Lake near the Suez Canal. "Ever Given was seized due to its failure to pay $900 million" compensation, Suez Canal Authority chief Osama Rabie was quoted by Al-Ahram, Egypt’s-run newspaper. Space firm Maxar imaged the entire Suez Canal stretching over 5,070 sq km with its GeoEye-1 satellite. The seized Ever Given was seen anchorage in the canal's Great Bitter Lake —the large body of water that separates the northern and southern sections of the Suez canal. Last month, it took a herculean effort lasting up to six days, to free the 220,000-ton mega-ship that had diagonally stuck in the Suez. According to court submissions by the Canal authorities, the compensation figure was calculated based on the losses incurred by the grounded vessel as well as the flotation and maintenance costs. The ship reportedly has a 25 Indian crew on board. “The vessel is now officially impounded,” Lt Gen Osama Rabie told Egypt’s public broadcaster on Wednesday.