The release of the Suez Canal could take several weeks / Article / LSM.lv

Rescue workers may take several weeks to unload the huge ship that has stuck and blocked the Suez Canal. If the unpleasant forecasts come true, it will be another blow to world trade, which has been hit hard by the year-long Covid-19 pandemic.

The Suez Canal Authority has suspended ships from entering the canal. 156 large container vessels, dry cargo vessels, oil and gas tankers are anchored at both ends of the canal, causing the greatest congestion in many years.

Like a whale thrown on the beach

The 400-meter-long container ship Ever Given on Tuesday morning due to strong winds ran aground and diagonally crossed the Suez Canal. As a result, shipping is blocked in both directions.

Eight tugs have been trying to lift the huge ship from the shore since Wednesday, but so far it has failed. Officials compare the operation to rescuing a beached whale.

The Japanese government has also been involved in coordinating the rescue, given that the ship belongs to a Japanese citizen. A government spokesman also apologized for blocking an important channel.

“We are trying to release the canal in cooperation with local officials and ship managers, but the situation is very complicated. We will continue to do our best to release the ship and resolve the situation quickly, “said Kacunobu Kato, a spokesman for the Japanese government.

“We sincerely apologize for causing such major problems for ships navigating the Suez Canal. There are currently no reports of any crew or oil spills as a result of the incident. “

Large losses for cargo owners

There were 25 crew members on board, all Indian citizens not injured in the incident.

If the 220,000-tonne ship fails to be stranded in the near future, transport companies around the world will have to re-plan their shipping routes.

In that case, the route around Africa will have to be chosen, which could delay the arrival of ships by up to a week, causing significant damage to cargo owners.

The Suez Canal, excavated more than 150 years ago, is the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe, connecting the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. The 193-kilometer-long Suez Canal is one of the world’s most important trade routes, transporting 12% of the world’s goods each year. Last year, almost 19,000 ships passed through the Suez Canal, or an average of more than 50 ships a day.

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