The Daily Beast
Finally, there is good news for the giant boat stuck in the Suez Canal
The cargo ship that blocked the Suez Canal since Tuesday – and symbolizes the mood of an exhausted and abused public – could be released on Saturday night, some optimistic reports suggest. But, as the ship’s dire journey so far has indicated, there is still much that can go wrong. Yukito Higaki, president of the Japanese company that owns Ever Given, said he hoped the weekend’s high tide and ongoing displacement efforts would help re-float the ship, NBC reported. He also apologized for the multibillion-dollar mess. “We apologize for blocking traffic and causing tremendous trouble and concern for many people, including the parties involved,” said Higaki. Releasing a container ship from the Suez Canal can turn The blockade on one of the busiest shipping routes in the world has paralyzed hundreds of ships and triggered a growing trade crisis. Congestion retained nearly $ 10 billion in trading each day, according to The New York Times, and added another layer of stress to an industry already affected by pandemic-induced blockages. chain problems, which is stressful news for anyone who wants a cheap bookcase. The Swedish company is “considering all options to ensure product availability”. Construction equipment company Caterpillar “is considering air transportation of products if necessary”. In some positive news, the 1,312-foot Ever Given ship changed slightly on Saturday morning, reports Reuters. The ship’s rudder finally started operating on Friday night, and in the afternoon, the stern had also moved. A Suez Canal pilot told CNN that he believed the ship could be removed on Saturday night. “The locomotives are now in full swing and the ship is starting to operate its machines,” Hend Fathy Hussein, spokesman for the Suez Canal Economic Zone, wrote on Facebook. “[B]ut has not yet floated. ”Osama Rabie, president of the Suez Canal Authority, said at a news conference on Saturday that he“ couldn’t tell ”when the ship would be free. Exceptionally strong winds continue to hinder attempts to move it. Hundreds of ships await in the Red Sea while the Semper Dado remains housed in the Suez Canal. Mahmoud Khaled / AFP via Getty The BBC reported that 14 tugboats are helping Saturday’s reflux efforts. The strong winds were initially blamed for the stranding, but Rabie said on Saturday that human error may also have influenced it. “The weather was one of the reasons, but there may have been a technical or human error,” he said. they are currently digging the stuck ship and using tugs to dislodge it. The worst case scenario, Rabie said, would be to remove some of the load to lighten the load. Ever Given has a capacity for 20,000 containers; according to the BBC, removing that weight can take “weeks” and require “specialized equipment”. If the ship is not released on Saturday, the Times reported that its “best chance” may come on Monday, when a high tide is forecast that could help raise water levels. The channel provides a gateway for about 15 percent of global maritime traffic. Read more in The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Subscribe now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper into the stories that matter to you. To know more.