WATCH: Ever Given leaves Suez Canal 106 days after getting stuck

Ever Given, the container ship that blocked the global trade passage in March, has been allowed to leave the Suez Canal, following a compensation deal.

Ever Given was escorted by tugs at 11:30 local time on 7 July, travelling north across the Great Bitter Lake and heading for the Mediterranean.

As reported by MIN, an Egyptian court rejected an appeal by the owner of Ever Given, to overturn the court-ordered seizure of the vessel. Since then, the ship had been impounded, unable to leave the waterway.

The details of the deal, made with the owners and insurers of the vessel, were not made public but Egypt had demanded US $550m.

Initially, Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority (SCA) was seeking US $916m in compensation for the losses incurred by the blockage. But UK Club, who insured Ever Given owner Shoei Kisen, rejected the claim, describing it as “extraordinarily large” and “largely unsupported”, reports BBC News.

At the ceremony, Suez Canal Authority chairman Osama Rabie said: “I give the permission for the Ever Given to sail.”

Ever Given is part of the Evergreen fleet.