Huge container ship blocks passage through Suez Canal

A very large ship has blocked ship traffic in the Suez Canal after getting stuck sideways within the canal on Tuesday. According to reports from the scene, tries to remove the ship are going on for many hours.

“The 199,489 GT ship was fifth in the northbound convoy. None of the vessels before it was affected, although the 15 behind it were kept at anchorages waiting for the Canal to be cleared. The southbound convoy was likewise blocked,” GAC Egypt stated commenting on the accident.

The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea. It allows a direct route for shipping between Europe and Asia, allowing for passage from the North Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Most importantly, the waterway is crucial for international trade and is considered one of the potential chokepoints in oil transit.