The entire crew of the giant ship ‘Ever Given’ that has been blocking the Suez Canal for days now is Indian, Bernhard Schulte Ship Management, the technical manager of the ship, said in a statement.
According to the company, all 25 Indian crew members are safe and accounted for.
“All 25 crew are safe and accounted for and they remain in good health and spirits. All crew are Indian nationals and remain onboard. They are working closely with all parties involved to re-float the vessel. The hard work and tireless professionalism of the Master and crew is greatly appreciated,” the statement read.
‘Ever Given’ ran aground in the man-made canal on Tuesday due to a sandstorm, reportedly leaving dozens of other cargo vessels blocked from passing the major waterway.
The ‘Ever Given’ was built in 2018 and is operated by Evergreen Marine of Taiwan, reports BBC.
According to AP, more than 150 vessels are now blocked, with hundreds more headed towards the Suez.
The tanker veered off its course while sailing through the waterway on a Rotterdam-bound voyage coming from China, turned sideways in a blinding sandstorm and ran aground.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has expressed gratitude for all the other offers of assistance to free the ship, reiterating its keenness to restore maritime traffic in the Suez Canal as soon as possible, IANS reported, quoting Xinhua news agency.
The ship’s Japanese owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd., has offered a written apology in light of the incident, saying “We are determined to keep on working hard to resolve this situation as soon as possible.”
“We would like to apologise to all parties affected by this incident, including the ships travelling and planning to travel through Suez Canal,” the statement said, according to AP.
On Thursday, the SCA said dredging operations were underway to help the ship by removing 15,000 cubic metres to 20,000 cubic metres of sand surrounding the vessel's bow, according to IANS.
It added the dredging operations, including nine tug boats, two dredges and four diggers, aim to reach a depth of 12-16 meters to resurface the 400-metre-long and 59-metre-wide vessel.
The crucial Suez Canal provides one of Egypt's main sources of income, alongside tourism and remittances from expatriates.
(With inputs from AP and IANS.)
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