A giant boxship ran aground on the Suez Canal on Tuesday, blocking all ship traffic and creating an accumulation of ships on one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
Ever Given, a 400 meter (1,312 ft) container ship, was stuck in the channel laterally, with the bow stuck in one bank and the stern almost touching the other, according to ship operators and images posted on social media .
The vessel, operated by Evergreen Group, based in Taiwan, is one of the largest ocean vessels. It can move more than 20,000 containers and is taller than the Empire State Building if it is facing upwards.
“There are at least 100 ships waiting to pass between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean,” said a London broker. “The tugs are trying to reflect it, but it will not be easy.”
The Suez Canal Authority, which operates the channel, was not immediately available for comment. An Evergreen spokesman said the ship was probably hit by strong winds “causing the hull to deviate from the channel and run aground”.