Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority (SCA) confirmed on Thursday that it cannot provide technical support or salvage services for the grounded cargo vessel FENER without a formal request from the ship’s owner, as the vessel remains aground outside the canal’s territorial waters along the Port Said coastline.

The vessel is located outside the legal jurisdiction of the canal, and no action can be taken without a formal request from the ship’s owner or the relevant authorities,” the statement read.

The authority stated it has not received official requests for technical support or salvage services from the vessel’s owner or authorized representatives, despite the ship running aground on 14 January.

The 132.3-metre vessel ran aground approximately five nautical miles west of the canal’s northern entrance in the Mediterranean Sea.
At the time of grounding, the ship was carrying a cargo of salt in waters beyond the SCA’s jurisdictional boundaries.

Despite this, the SCA said it responded to a distress call and successfully rescued all crew members in the early morning under challenging weather conditions.

However, it has proactively monitored the ship’s condition through its marine salvage team and contacted the owner via their shipping agent, emphasizing their responsibility for any economic and environmental consequences.

The grounding has had no impact on navigation through the waterway, the SCA reaffirmed in a statement released on Thursday.

The SCA assured that environmental concerns remain minimal since the 4,700-ton vessel operates on light diesel fuel rather than heavy fuel oil, and no fuel leaks have been detected.

The ship’s small fuel tanks further reduce environmental risks, the statement pointed out.

The SCA added that coordination is underway with Port Said Governorate, the Maritime Safety Authority, the Ministry of Environment, and the Egyptian Navy to monitor the situation.

The authority indicated its readiness to provide technical consultations if requested.

Following the 2021 blockage of the canal by the container ship Ever Given, the SCA has upgraded its fleet by commissioning ten new tugboats, each with a towing capacity of 90 tons, to enhance its response capabilities to potential incidents.

The Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, handles approximately 12 percent of global trade and four million barrels of oil daily, according to previous remarks by SCA Chairman Ossama Rabiee.
Source: Ahram Online