Suez Canal grounding: Pilots, crew under scrutiny as investigators board Ever Given

Experts boarded the Ever Given container ship today to investigate why it ran aground in the Suez Canal. Photo / AP

Experts boarded the Ever Given container ship today to investigate why it ran aground in the Suez Canal, causing a maritime traffic jam that has hit global trade.

More than 300 vessels were still waiting to pass through the waterway last night after the Panama-flagged vessel was freed on Monday afternoon, six days after running aground in high winds and a dust storm.

Dozens of ships were diverted around Africa and billions of shipments delayed - including perishable goods and livestock - and legal experts predict costly litigation ahead as affected parties seek to minimise their losses.

The blockage held up an estimated £6.5 billion ($12.8b) in global trade every day. It also cost Egypt up to £11 million a day in lost toll fees.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) will charge the Ever Given for damage to the canal and the cost of the rescue.

While maritime investigators will question the two Egyptian pilots from the SCA who were aboard the Ever Given, legal responsibility for the navigation of a ship usually rests with its master.

The Suez Canal Authority will charge the Ever Given for damage to the canal and the cost of the rescue effort. Photo / AP

But other parties that incurred losses will face greater difficulties in making claims against the Ever Given's Japanese owners.

With its bow and stern lodged in the bank for days, the 220,000-ton vessel could be significantly damaged, said Captain John Konrad, the founder and CEO of the shipping news website gcaptain.com.

The blockage held up an estimated £6.5 billion in global trade every day. It also cost Egypt up to £11 million a day in lost toll fees. Photo / AP

He said: "They have to go through all the mechanical equipment, make sure they test the engines, all the safety valves, all the equipment, and then determine that it's safe to sail either by itself or with a tug escort to the next port."

A spokesman for the ship's owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd, which is covered by a £2.2b liability insurance policy, said yesterday that it would be taking part in the ongoing investigation.