Rescue operation for 'giant ship' stranded in Suez Canal.
A massive cargo ship has run aground in the Suez Canal, leaving traffic on one of the world's busiest waterways still disrupted.
The massive container ship Even Given is still unable to move through the Suez Canal – which connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Suez. Numerous tugboats and excavators have been deployed for the rescue, but without success. It is likely that the rescue team will have to wait for high tide to free the stranded vessel.
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| Authorities are working to rescue a stranded ship in the Suez Canal. |
"The vessels are continuing to dredge sand and silt to successfully salvage the Even Given," said Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, the technical management department of the Even Given.
Earlier, the Ever Given, a ship en route from China to the Dutch port of Rotterdam, became stranded in the Suez Canal on the evening of March 23. Some sources indicated that the Ever Given may have suffered a power outage or that strong winds caused it to drift sideways, blocking the canal.
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| The images show a giant ship blocking the Suez Canal, causing traffic congestion on this vital trade route. |
In a statement, Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine, the ship's operator, said the Ever Given ran aground due to strong winds while transiting the Suez Canal. The company added that no containers on board sank.
Bernhard Schulte, the ship's engineering director, added that there were no reports of casualties among the 25 crew members, nor any impact on the cargo on board. Initial investigations have ruled out mechanical or engine failure as the cause of the grounding.
The Ever Given, weighing 220,000 tons and measuring 400 meters in length, has a capacity to carry 20,000 containers and belongs to a new type of maritime vessel, known as a super-large container ship.
Satellite images show hundreds of ships stranded on both sides of the Suez Canal due to the Even Given container ship incident.
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| The massive ship grounding in the Suez Canal caused enormous damage. The estimated damage from this incident is approximately $400 million per hour. |
The stranded ship incident occurred amidst a global supply chain struggle to meet demand. The sector most severely affected by supply shortages is the chip industry, forcing many automakers to temporarily halt operations.
According to the Suez Canal Authority, nearly 19,000 vessels passed through the canal in 2020, an average of 51.5 per day.
