One year ago: Ever Given in the Suez Canal

German Nautical Club commemorates the anniversary of the EVER GIVEN accident in the Suez Canal

23 March 2022 marks the anniversary of the wreck of the container ship EVER GIVEN in the Suez Canal. The 20,000 TEU container ship EVER GIVEN ran aground during the Suez Canal passage. The ship, which was around 400 metres in length, capsized, blocking the canal. This brought maritime trade through the Suez Canal to a standstill for a long time, with drastic consequences for the international maritime industry and end consumers.

Following the release of the second Elbe deepening stage on 24 January 2022, large container ships can now reach the Port of Hamburg with a draught of 13.10 m regardless of the tide. Depending on the tide, the draught is now 14.10 m and a draught of 15.40 m is even possible inbound. This raises the question of whether accidents such as that involving the EVER GIVEN can also be dangerous in German waters and what risks need to be considered. The Standing Technical Committee (StFA) of the German Nautical Association has therefore developed and adopted a position paper, which can be downloaded from the DNV website at www.dnvev.de can be downloaded.

This paper is intended to provide a basis for discussion on the one hand, and on the other to provide an impetus for possible learning effects for German shipping areas. It deals not only with mega container ships, but in principle with all ships that have considerable dimensions and sail areas in relation to the area and thus explicitly includes vessels that sail the NOK. Inclusion in this position paper does not mean that no measures have been taken to prevent or remedy similar incidents in German estuaries, but is intended to summarise the ideas in this regard as impulses that can be pursued further.