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A freighter ran aground in the Suez Canal and is blocking the important sea route between Asia and Europe.
A freighter ran aground in the Suez Canal on Wednesday night and has since blocked the important sea route between Asia and Europe. Initially, several tugs were in use around the freighter, as seen on shipfinder.com and marinetraffic.com ship radars. Consequently, container ship congestion formed both north and south of the canal.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, the transportation and logistics company GAC reported on its website. There was a power outage aboard the freighter.
According to the ship’s radars, it was the “Ever Given” freighter. According to shipfinder.com, it is 400 meters long and 59 meters wide. The ship, built in 2018, sails under the Panamanian flag, came from China and is heading to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
It was initially unclear when the shipping route could be reopened. The Suez Canal is a waterway that connects the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. Therefore, it is an important maritime connection and trade route between Asia and Europe. A considerable part of the transport of energy from the Middle East to Europe and the United States is carried out through the canal. Deliveries from the North Sea to Asia are also affected in the opposite direction.
Oil prices are rising
Oil prices rose on Wednesday due to problems on the important energy transport route. A barrel (159 liters) of Brent from the North Sea costs 61.63 US dollars (51.86 euros) in the morning. That was 84 cents more than the day before. The price of a barrel of US-brand West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 62 cents to $ 58.38.
On Tuesday, oil prices had fallen significantly, to their lowest level since early February. The main reason was concerns about the demand for crude oil due to the increase in corona infections and new restrictions, especially in Europe. Both are weighing on the economic outlook.
A considerable part of the transport of energy from the Middle East to Europe and the United States is carried out through the Suez Canal. Deliveries from the North Sea to Asia are also affected in the opposite direction.
(WHAT / dpa)
