News

Cargo Ship Ever Given Blocks Suez Canal, Could Take Weeks To Move

Ever Given, the massive container ship, which ran aground in the Suez Canal in Egypt, continues to be stuck as tug boats tried to dislodge the ship on Friday.

The ship became horizontally wedged in the waterway following heavy winds. The cargo carrier is more than 1,300 feet long, about 193-feet wide and weighs more than 200,000 tons. One end of the ship was wedged into one side of the canal, with the other stretching nearly to the other bank.

Many tugboats were sent to the scene to assist in the re-float operation, which can take days or longer.

Peter Berdowski, CEO of Dutch company Boskalis, said, “we can’t exclude it might take weeks, depending on the situation.” Berdowski’s company is helping in the salvage efforts.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Bernhard Schulte, the vessel’s technical manager, said at 8:30 a.m. that an earlier attempt to re-float the vessel had failed and another re-float attempt would be made later on Thursday.

“Dredging operations to assist re-floating the vessel continue. In addition to the dredgers already on site, a specialized suction dredger has arrived at the location,” the firm said.

The 120-mile long man-made waterway is a key point of global trade, connecting a steady flow of goods from East to West.

According to the Suez Canal Authority, around 19,000 ships passed through the canal during 2020, an average number of 51.5 per day. The ship was sailing from China to Rotterdam when it ran aground.

“Dredgers are working to clear sand and mud from around the vessel to free her. Tugboats, in conjunction with Ever Given’s winches, are working to shift the vessel,” Schulte said Wednesday evening.

There were no reports of injuries among the 25 crew members and no cargo has been damaged.

Taylor Masi

Share
Published by
Taylor Masi

Recent Posts

After Trump Administration Releases Thousands Of Files Related To MLK’s Assassination, The King Family Cries Foul

On Monday, the Trump Administration released thousands of files related to the assassination of Martin…

3 hours ago

Former Trump Lawyer Todd Blanche Interviews Ghislaine Maxwell About Epstein Case For Justice Dept., Raising Ethical Concerns

The Department of Justice interviewed Jeffrey Epstein’s former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, on Thursday following a…

3 hours ago

Fed Chair Jerome Powell Corrects Trump On Fed Headquarters Renovation Costs During Tour

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell corrected President Donald Trump on Thursday during a tour of…

5 hours ago

Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem Effectiveness During Texas Floods Questioned: ‘We Don’t Manage These Disasters’

At President Donald Trump's sixth Cabinet meeting held earlier this month, the room filled with…

1 day ago

Trump Administration Deports 5 Migrants To Small African Nation Of Eswatini – Where None Of Them Are From

The Trump Administration deported five migrants with criminal records to a small African country last…

1 day ago

Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Increase Deficit By $3.4 Trillion & Kick 10 Million Off Health Insurance, CBO Finds

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's final estimate for the impact of President Donald Trump's "Big,…

1 day ago