Cairo
A giant container ship that blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week has finally been freed after a mammoth salvage operation using tug boats.
The 400m-long (1,300ft) Ever Given was wedged across the canal before salvage crews dislodged her on Monday.
It was not immediately clear when full traffic could resume in the canal. Suez, which links Asia with Europe and the Middle East, is one of the world’s busiest trade routes. Companies had been forced to reroute vessels.
The vessel was being towed to a location outside the channel for further inspection. Tug boats taking part in the operation honked their horns in celebration.
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi thanked Egyptians for their efforts in “ending the crisis” in the canal, which connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea.
Analysis box by Theo Leggett, business correspondent Disruption to global trade will not end with the refloating of the Ever Given.
According to Lloyd’s List, there are currently more than 370 ships waiting to pass through the canal, including container vessels, tankers, and bulk carriers. Clearing that backlog is expected to take several days.
Some ships have already left the region, preferring to take an alternative, longer route around the southern tip of Africa.
They will be joined by other vessels travelling from East Asia to Europe – whose operators have decided not to risk waiting for the canal to reopen.
Inevitably, cargoes will be reaching their destination much later than planned.
There may be congestion when they arrive in port, while future sailing schedules have been thrown into disarray.
The cost of shipping goods to Europe is expected to rise as a result. Industry experts are warning that the knock-on effects on delicately balanced supply chains could be felt for months to come.
The massive container ship blocking the Suez Canal for almost a week has been turned 80 percent in the right direction, officials said Monday, raising hopes the vital trade route could soon be clear.
But its owner said that while the giant ship “has turned”, it was still not yet afloat. The MV Ever Given, longer than four football fields, has been wedged diagonally across the canal since Tuesday, strangling world supply chains and costing the global economy billions.
Suez Canal Authority (SCA) chief Osama Rabie said Monday that rescue efforts with tugs had succeeded in shifting the front and back of the ship.
“The position of the ship has been reorientated 80 percent in the right direction,” Rabie in a statement.—APP
