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2021 Suez Canal obstruction

Coordinates: 30°00′54″N 32°34′49″E / 30.015122°N 32.580206°E / 30.015122; 32.580206
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2021 Suez Canal obstruction
Aerial view of Ever Given blocking the canal
Date23 March 2021 (2021-03-23)–present
Time07:40 (EET)
LocationSuez Canal, Egypt
Coordinates30°00′54″N 32°34′49″E / 30.015122°N 32.580206°E / 30.015122; 32.580206
TypeShip grounding
CauseSandstorm, high winds

On 23 March 2021, at 07:40 EET (UTC+2), the container ship Ever Given ran aground at the 151 km (82 nmi) mark of the Suez Canal in Egypt.[1] The ship was faced with a sandstorm and blown by strong winds of up to 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph), causing it to lose control,[2] hitting the bottom of the canal and getting stuck, which completely obstructed the canal and prevented any vessels from passing through.[3] At least 15 other vessels are being held at anchorages and some 150 ships are queueing to pass through the canal while the situation is being resolved.[4][5] As of 25 March 2021, the vessel was still wedged in the canal.[6]

Background

The Ever Given is a Golden-class container ship, one of the largest container ships in the world. She was laid down on 25 December 2015, launched 9 May 2018, and completed 25 September 2018.[7] She is owned by Shoei Kisen Kaisha, a subsidiary of Imabari Shipbuilding, and operated by Evergreen Marine. She is registered in Panama.[8]

In the years prior to the incident, there had been numerous instances of ships running aground in the Suez Canal. On 25 February 2016, the bulk carrier New Katerina ran aground in the canal while traveling from Ukraine to Qingdao. It was refloated after twelve days; traffic in the canal was not affected during this period.[9] On 28 April 2016, the container ship MSC Fabiola ran aground at Great Bitter Lake after experiencing engine problems, forcing canal officials to temporarily suspend all northbound convoys and stop all southbound convoys in the canal. MSC Fabiola was refloated on 30 April, and continued through the canal.[10][11] On 17 July 2018, the container ship Aeneas ran aground in the canal, resulting in a collision involving the three bulkers behind her: Sakizaya Kalon, Panamax Alexander, and Osios David.[12][13] Most of these incidents had a relatively minor effect on traffic in the Suez Canal.

At the time of the incident, the Ever Given was traveling to Rotterdam from Tanjung Pelepas, carrying 20,000 shipping containers of goods onboard.[14][15] She was fifth in a northbound convoy, with fifteen vessels behind her when it ran aground.[4]

Incident

On 23 March 2021, at 07:40 EET (UTC+2), the Ever Given was traveling through the Suez Canal when she was caught in a sandstorm. The strong wind, which reached 40 knots, resulted in a a power outage and the “loss of the ability to steer the ship", causing the hull to deviate.[1][14] The Ever Given promptly ran aground at the 151 kilometres (82 nmi) mark, and turned sideways, blocking the canal on both ends.[1]

Hundreds of vessels on both sides of the canal were obstructed by the Ever Given. Many docked at ports and anchorages, while others remained in place. The ships in the area range from unnamed cargo vessels to large ships operated by companies like Maersk to a Russian Navy corvette.

Response

Officials plan to move two vessels from behind the Ever Given to make room for the refloating operation. Fuel, ballast water, and several containers were removed from the ship to help lighten it as heavy machinery worked to dig the front end out.[16] Eight tugboats are assisting in the attempt to pull it free.[17] Peter Berdowski, Chief Executive of Royal Boskalis Westminster, stated that the operation "can take days to weeks."[18]

On 24 March, various news outlets reported that the Gulf Agency Company (GAC) stated the Ever Given had been partially refloated and was alongside the canal bank, and that traffic through the canal would reopen soon.[8][19] However, GAC's Egypt office disconfirmed the claim, clarifying the reports were inaccurate.[20][21]

On 25 March, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) suspended navigation through the Suez Canal until the Ever Given could be refloated.[22][23]

Economic impact

About 12 percent of total global trade moves through the Suez Canal. Experts have warned that this incident will likely result in shipping delays of everyday items for consumers around the world.[24] Lloyd's List estimates that every day it takes to clear the obstruction will disrupt an additional US$9 billion worth of goods.[25] A rise in oil prices was attributed to "people buying in after recent declines in oil prices, with the Suez closing the trigger factor", and that due to existing stocks "a few days of slowdown in [oil] delivery is not critical to the market".[26] Maritime transport specialist Camille Egloff commented "There are existing stocks. If you look at oil supply, it is only the one from the Middle East and we have other supply sources," and that it will only delay goods, which might only impact industries with existing shortages such as with semiconductors. To mitigate shortages of goods in the long term, it has been stated that future shipments can be ordered earlier than normal until the difference has been made up.[26][27]

See also

  • Yellow Fleet, a group of fifteen ships trapped in the Suez Canal, from 1967 to 1975, as a result of the Israel-Egypt Six-Day War

References

  1. ^ a b c CNN, Magdy Samaan, Shawn Deng, Sarah El Sirgany, Mostafa Salem and Lauren Said-Moorhouse. "Suez Canal blocked by traffic jam after massive container ship runs aground". CNN. Retrieved 2021-03-25. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Martin, Ken (2021-03-24). "Suez Canal blocked as massive cargo ship turns sideways". FOXBusiness. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  3. ^ "Container ship facts: Egypt's Suez Canal blocked by massive boat". BBC. March 25, 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-25.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b Uria, Daniel (March 23, 2021). "Grounded container ship blocks traffic on Suez Canal". United Press International. Retrieved 2021-03-25.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Sharman, Jon (2021-03-25). "150 ships queueing as Ever Given remains stuck in Suez Canal - follow live". The Independent. Retrieved 2021-03-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Stevens, Pippa (2021-03-24). "Ever Given, the massive cargo ship that ran aground in the Suez Canal, is still stuck". CNBC. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  7. ^ "ABS: American Bureau of Shipping". www.eagle.org. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  8. ^ a b "Giant ship blocking Suez canal partially refloated". the Guardian. 2021-03-24. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  9. ^ "Grounded Bulker Refloated in Suez Canal". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  10. ^ "Grounded Container Ship Blocks Suez Canal". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  11. ^ "Grounded Container Ship in Suez Canal Refloated". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  12. ^ "Multiple ship groundings and collisions lead to Suez Canal chaos". www.ship-technology.com. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  13. ^ "Multi-Vessel Pileup in Suez Canal". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  14. ^ a b "Egypt's Suez Canal blocked by huge container ship". BBC News. 2021-03-24. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  15. ^ "Suez Canal Blocked a Second Full Day". Voice of America. March 25, 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-25.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ Paris, Costas; Faucon, Benoit (March 25, 2021). "Suez Canal Backlog Grows as Efforts Resume to Free Trapped Ship". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 25, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Suez Canal suspends traffic as tug boats work to free ship: Live". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  18. ^ Hebron, Herbert F. (2021-03-25). "Refloating the Suez Canal can take weeks: 'Very heavy whale on the beach' | NOW | EN24 News". en24news. Retrieved 2021-03-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Grounded Suez Canal vessel partly refloated: Update 2". www.argusmedia.com. 2021-03-24. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  20. ^ Staff, Reuters (2021-03-24). "Container ship stranded in Suez Canal still stuck, says marine agent GAC". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-03-25. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  21. ^ "Suez Canal: Authorities 'working to refloat' Ever Given, grounded container ship blocking Egyptian channel". Sky News. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  22. ^ "Suez Canal suspends traffic as tug boats work to free ship: Live". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  23. ^ "Suez Canal suspends traffic in bid to refloat ship". 2021-03-25. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  24. ^ Popken, Ben (2021-03-25). "'Anything you see in the stores' could be affected by Canal logjam, shipping experts say". NBC News. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  25. ^ "Shipping losses mount from cargo vessel stuck in Suez Canal". AP NEWS. 2021-03-25. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  26. ^ a b Saefong, Myra P. "Why the blockage of the Suez Canal matters for oil prices". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  27. ^ "What are the consequences of Suez Canal incident?". RTÉ. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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