Attempts to refill the Ever Guide on Thursday resumed with high tides, according to ship-tracking data, according to ship tracking data, five tugs are working to pull the ship into deeper waters.
The container ship – which has long been the tallest empire state building – was caught in a storm of 400 knots of wind and sand on Tuesday, causing low visibility and poor navigation, the Suez Canal Authority said in a statement Wednesday. .
The giant ship, measuring 400 meters long and 59 meters wide, continues to block transit in both directions through a key shipping channel.
Mersk, the world’s largest container shipping company, said on Wednesday that seven of its container vessels had been affected.
The Danish company said in a statement that four ships were stuck in a nearby canal system while the rest were waiting to enter the passage.
“Mersk is constantly monitoring the current state of the Suez Canal and closely following the efforts of the affected ship. At the request of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), our tow tow wedge and safety services provider Switzer is participating in the ongoing reflot operation,” the statement added. .
Marine Services Company GAC issued an overnight letter to customers stating that efforts to free the ship using tug boats were ongoing, but wind conditions and the ship’s sheer size were “hindering operations.”
Ship-tracking software software always shows five tugs around a given area and three more towards it. The ship’s GPS signal, however, showed only minor changes in its position in the last 24 hours.
Dozens of ships, including other large container vessels, oil and gas tankers and grain shipments, back up on both sides of the canal to create the worst shipping jams seen in years.
About 30% of the world’s shipping container volume is through 193 kilometers (120 miles) of Suez Canal per day, and about 12% of the total global trade in all goods.
Shipping experts say that if the barrier is not cleared in the next 24 to 48 hours, some shipping companies may be forced to return to ships around southern Africa, which will add about a week to the voyage.
But the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority told the media that despite the obstruction, some cargo was able to move south and efforts to disperse Ever Given would continue.
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