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A large container has blocked Egypt’s Suez Canal, causing a ship to jam, boat tracking websites show.
The ship, named Ever Given, ran aground in the narrow shipping channel at around 7.40am Tuesday, according to reports.
Several tugs have surrounded the vessel, operated by the Evergreen Marine shipping company, in an attempt to move it.
An official reportedly told local media outlet Cairo24 that the moving process could take up to two days.
A queue has formed behind the boat. Pic: barcofinder.com
According to the GAC shipping company, the 400-meter-long ship suffered a blackout while traveling north in a convoy.
Around 15 ships are said to be trapped behind Ever Given, while the southern part of the canal is also blocked.
The three-year-old freighter, which is registered in Panama, was heading to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, from China, when it got stuck.
The busy Egyptian The sea route connects the Mediterranean with the Red Sea and is the fastest maritime link between Asia and Europe.
Julianne Cona, who is on the boat behind, the US-registered Maersk Denver, said the Ever Given was stuck on its side.
On Instagram, she wrote: “The ship in front of us ran aground while crossing the canal and is now stuck on its side, it looks like we could be here for a while.”
The waterway, which is around 193 km (120 miles) long, was built by the Suez Canal Company between 1859 and 1869, and was officially opened in 1869.
Approximately 12% of the volume of world trade passes through it, making it one of the busiest waterways in the world.
Almost 19,000 ships, or an average of 51.5 ships per day, with a net tonnage of 1.17 billion tons passed through the
canal during 2020, according to the Suez Canal Authority.
