Container Ship Run Aground Continues to Block Suez Canal Traffic – UPDATE: Vessel Freed, Traffic Resumes

One of the industry’s largest container ships has run aground in the Suez Canal, halting traffic across the shortest maritime route between Asia and Europe.

The Ever Given container ship has been stuck for four days. According to sources, strong winds caused the vessel to run askew and become lodged across the width of the Suez Canal.

The incident has delayed a significant portion of global freight transit. The canal itself sees upward of 50 container and tanker vessels per day pass through and handles about 13 percent of the world’s total freight volume each year.

Dozens of ships are stuck on either side of the canal waiting for the vessel to be freed. Some carriers have even opted to reroute vessels on the much longer trip around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern edge of Africa. According to the JOC, the canal blockage ups the risk of blanked sailings and worsened congestion at already stressed European ports.

Recovery efforts are underway, however. A fleet of tugboats and a bank dredging operation are combining forces to free the Ever Given as quickly as possible. But while some officials have stated that the vessel will be liberated by the end of the weekend, other experts are fearful that the process could take weeks.

The Suez Canal disruption is likely to cause ripple effects throughout global supply chain networks. Delays and pricing alterations for other regions are possible.

Stay in touch with Scarbrough International to keep track of potential cargo delays and stay on top of the latest news.

UPDATE MARCH 30: Suez Canal Vessel Traffic Resumes  

Recovery efforts have successfully re-floated the container vessel that blocked the Suez Canal for six days, allowing vessels to resume navigation. According to authorities, however, congestion around the canal may take days to clear.

Tug boats freed the Ever Given Monday, allowing traffic to resume as the vessel continued its journey through the canal.

Hundreds of vessels had formed queues on either side of the Suez Canal while rescue efforts persisted. Ships are now passing through, but the crowd of vessels may take days or weeks to clear and return to normal volumes.