Giant Cargo Ship “Ever Given” Refloated in Suez Canal

By Staff, Agencies 

The Ever Given cargo ship that has been blocking the Suez Canal since the beginning of last week was freed by salvage teams on Monday at 04:40 local time, Inchcape Shipping Services, a maritime service provider, said.

"The MV Ever Given was successfully re-floated at 04:30 lt 29/03/2021. [It] is being secured at the moment. More information about next steps will follow once they are known", Inchcape Shipping Services said.

However, the exact time when the Suez Canal will be open to traffic remains unclear.

Footage showing the vessel moving again was shared on social media.
Osama Rabie, the head of the Suez Canal authority, said on Sunday that 369 vessels were waiting to pass through.

The Suez Canal has been blocked since Tuesday, when the 224,000-tonne, 400 meter-long [1,300 ft]. container ship, the Ever Given, ran aground on its way from China to the Netherlands amid strong winds and a sandstorm that affected visibility. 

The blockage of the canal, the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe, through which about 12 percent of global trade passes, triggered a rally of oil prices in international markets, as multiple oil tankers were reportedly affected by the disruptions.