‘We have no objection to letting go or replacing the crew as long as they maintain the required percentage to ensure the safety of the ship,’ the admiral specified in an official statement.

The SCA also requires the permanent presence of the captain as the main ‘guardian’ of the vessel and the goods on board.

Rabie recalled that the Authority had already allowed the return of two people to their countries for emergency personal circumstances, at the request of Shoei Kisen, the Japanese company that owns the cargo ship.

Following the successful flotation operations, the MV Ever Given sailed to the Bitter Lakes waiting area, where it remains impounded by order of an economic court in Ismailia governorate, while investigations into the March 23 traffic jam are progressing.

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