They chartered two high-powered tugs and discussed shifting the amount of water in the Ever Given's ballast tanks to boost the vessel's buoyancy and help lift it off the bank. The ship was finally pulled clear on the afternoon of March 29. The tugs were still connected to the vessel's stern and were in danger of being pulled under as the ship gathered speed, according to a court filing. They had to be released quickly by the salvage team, by cutting the wires. Lawyers for the owners said SMIT could be seeking an award of around $35 million based on the amount of security for their claim. It was shortly after the Ever Given was refloated that SMIT discussed what the lawyers called a "strategy change." A Whatsapp message on March 29 introduced by the same lawyers records a SMIT official saying: "Hm, playing with a salvage claim thought…" In its filing, Higaki Sangyo downplayed SMIT's "minimal" role, saying that the Suez Canal Authority were in control of the operation.