ISMAILIA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2021) Navigation on the Suez Canal resumed on Monday following the successful refloating of container ship Ever Given, Suez Canal Authority head Osama Rabie said on monday.
"Today, from 6 p.m. local time [16:00 GMT], navigation on the canal has been resumed," Rabie said at a press conference.
The operation to refloat Ever Given in the Suez Canal is unique, it became the first such operation globally without unloading the vessel, he said.
The ship has left a narrow section of the canal and is now in a lake in its central part, he said.
There is no fault of the canal in what happened, the canal is the aggrieved party, Rabie noted.
"An investigation into the incident will determine who should pay compensation," he said.
According to the official, the canal was losing up to $15 million daily due to the incident.
"We are facing another challenge � to solve the problem of the congestion of ships awaiting passage. We will work around the clock. Everything is ready, the crews and goods are on board the ships. Before 8 a.m. tomorrow morning [06:00 GMT], 113 ships will pass through the canal in both directions," Rabie said, adding that a total of 422 vessels are awaiting for their turn to pass the canal.
The Suez Canal Authority has no plans to ban container ships the size of Ever Given, he noted, adding that a ship much larger than Ever Given has passed through the canal shortly before the accident with no problems arising.
