Grounding of the ship Ever Given - legal consequences

Brod Ever Given jedan je od najvećih kontejnerskih brodova na svijetu, a izgradila ga je 2018. japanska tvrtka Imabari Shipbuilding za tvrtku-kćer Shoei Kisen Kaisha koja je trenutni vlasnik broda. Registriran je u Panama Cityu, što znači da plovi pod zastavom države Paname, a njime u komercijalnom smislu raspolaže, na temelju brodarskog ugovora na vrijeme (eng. time charter) tajvanska brodoprijevoznička tvrtka Evergreen Marine Corporation, dok je tehničko upravljanje brodom povjereno tvrtki Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. U četvrtak 23. ožujka 2021. godine oko 7:40 po lokalnom vremenu, tijekom plovide Sueskim kanalom, brodom Ever Given je zbog jakih vjetrova postalo teško upravljati. Unatoč nastojanjima posade i 2 pilota, brod se nasukao blizu južnog ulaza kanala te se nakrenuo tako da je blokirao prolaz, a kanal je bio blokiran sve do 29. ožujka 2021. kada je Ever Given uspješno odsukan i otegljen u Veliko gorko jezero. Nasukavanje i blokada utjecali su na svjetsko tržište, ionako već pogođeno virusom COVID-19, na vlasnike robe, druge prijevoznike te Egipat i Upravu sueskog kanala. S obzirom na širinu pogođenih sudionika, u radu se obrađuju razne vrste odgovornosti, pravni izvori koji se primjenjuju i osiguranje koje ima ulogu zaštiti sudionike od većih gubitaka. U početku se odmah nameće pitanje odgovornosti prijevoznika Evergreena prema korisnicima prijevoza, kao i pitanje relevantnog prava. Nakon provedene istrage, možemo zaključiti kako je do nasukavanja došlo nautičkom pogreškom koja je egzoneracijski razlog odgovornosti prijevoznika prema Haškim i Haško-Visbyskim pravilima, stoga odgovornosti Evergreena prema korisnicima prijevoza nema. Korisnicima jedino preostaje zahtjevati isplatu osigurnine od svojih osiguravatelja robe, ako je ona osigurana na odgovarajući način. Pravo koje se primjenjuje je pravo navedeno u teretnici ili pravo države suda ako teretnica tako upućuje. Nadalje, druga važna odgovornost, koja je bila i najviše medijski popraćena, je odgovornost brodovlasnika Shoi Kishen Kaisha i njihovih osiguravatelja prema Upravi sueskog kanala. Iznos od 900 milijuna američkih dolara koji je Uprava potraživala bio je nerazumno velik te se strane nisu mogle dogovoriti oko naknade pa je Uprava zahtjevala od suda prisilno zaustavljanje broda, što je i mogla zahtjevati prema egipatskom pravu s obzirom da se radi o pomorskom privilegiju. Brod je otpušten 7. srpnja 2021. nakon što su strane sklopile nagodbu, a treba istaknuti kako tražbine uprave ne potpadaju pod ograničenje odgovornosti prema Konvenciji o ograničenju pomorskih tražbina iz 1976. te se Uprava nije mogla namiriti iz fonda osnovanog pred Engleskim pomorskim sudom. Uz fonda za ograničenje odgovornosti, brodovlasnik je proglasio je zajedničku havariju kako bi ograničio svoju odgovornost i umanjio troškove. Hull&Machinery osiguranje pokriva sudjelovanje broda u zajedničkoj havariji, kao i osiguranje P&I kluba, a sudjelovanje tereta pokrivaju osiguravatelji kod kojih je roba osigurana ovisno o ugovoru o osiguranju. Zaključno, iz slučaja nasukavanja Ever Givena vidimo koliko je važno i potrebno imati odgovarajuće osiguranje pri prijevozu robe morem jer bi bez njega sudionici prijevoza mogli imati značajne troškove i gubitke. Također, treba istaknuti potrebu za proširenjem Sueskog kanala kako bi se u budućnosti smanjila mogućnost ponavljanja sličnih slučajeva. Na kraju bih iznio ideju o smanjenju ovisnosti Europe o dotoku robe iz Kine i Dalekog Istoka, s ciljem jačanja Europske unije kao slobodnog tržišta i smanjenja utjecaja izvanrednih događaja na gospodarstvo Europske unije.Ever Given is one of the largest container ships in the world built in 2018. by Japanese company Imabari Shipbuilding for subsidiary company Shoi Kishen Kaisha, who is the current owner of the ship. Ever Given's port of registry is Panama City which means it is sailing under the flag of Panama and is operated, under the time charter, by the transportation and shipping company Evergreen Marine Corporation, but its technical management is the responsibility of the company Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. On Monday the 23th of April 2021 at 7:40 local time, during the voyage through the canal, the ship became difficult to navigate due to strong winds. Despite efforts of the crew and two pilots on board, the ship ran aground near the southern end of the Suez canal, blocked the canal, and was stuck there until the 29th of April 2021 when it was successfully dislodged and tugged to Great Bitter Lake. The grounding and blockage affected the global market, which was already hit by COVID-19 crisis, cargo owners, other carriers, Egypt, and Suez Canal Authority (SCA). Considering the variety of affected parties, the thesis identifies liabilities, applicable law, and types of insurance to protect affected parties. In the beginning, there was a question of carriers' liability to cargo owners and the application of the law. Results of the investigation show that grounding occurred because of an error in navigation which exonerates the carrier from liability by Hague and Hague-Visby Rules, therefore Evergreen is not liable. Cargo owners could only get paid for damages and losses by their cargo insurance companies if the cargo was adequately insured. The applicable law is the law defined in the bill of lading or law of the country in which the court is seised. Secondly, another important liability, which was the most covered by the media, is the shipowner's Shoi Kishen Kashia and insurers' liability to Egypt and SCA. SCA asked for 900 million dollars as compensation which was unreasonably high, so the parties couldn't reach an agreement. SCA applied to Court to arrest the vessel until legal proceedings are done which they had been allowed according to Egyptian law regarding maritime liens as privileged claims. Egyptian court lifted the ship’s detention order after the parties reached a settlement over a compensation amount, but SCA claims are excluded from the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976. and SCA claims couldn't be compensated from the limitation fund constituted with English Admiralty Court. In addition to the limitation fund, the shipowner declared a general average to limit liability and reduce costs. Hull&Machinery insurance provides coverage for vessel contribution on a general average, and so does P&I insurance, but cargo insurance companies provide coverage for cargo contribution. In conclusion, from the grounding of the Ever Given it is obvious how important and necessary is to have adequate marine insurance because without it injured parties could have significant costs and losses. Furthermore, it is important to mention the need for the expansion of the Suez canal to prevent similar situations and outcomes like Ever Given's in the future. In the end, I want to present the idea to reduce Europe's dependence on the Far East and China in the supply chain in order to strengthen the European Single Market and lessen the impacts of unforeseeable events on the European Union's economy