2021 Suez Canal obstruction
International Space Station image of Ever Given blocking the canal on 27 March 2021 | |
| Date | 23–29 March 2021 |
|---|---|
| Time | 07:40 EGY (05:40 UTC) |
| Duration | 6 days and 7 hours |
| Location | Suez Canal, Suez, Egypt |
| Coordinates | 30°01′03″N 32°34′48″E / 30.0175°N 32.5800°E |
| Type | Ship grounding |
| Cause | Inconclusive |
| Casualties | |
| 1 fatality (unidentified) | |
The Suez Canal was blocked for six days from 23 to 29 March 2021 by the Ever Given, a container ship that had run aground in the canal.
The 400-metre-long (1,300 ft), 224,000-ton, 20,000 TEU vessel was buffeted by strong winds on the morning of 23 March, and ended up wedged across the waterway with its bow and stern stuck on opposite canal banks, blocking all traffic until it could be freed. Egyptian authorities said that "technical or human errors" may have also been involved. The obstruction occurred south of the two-channel section of the canal, so other ships could not pass. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) hired Boskalis through its subsidiary Smit International to manage marine salvage operations. The blockage of one of the world's busiest trade routes slowed trade between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, tying up goods worth an estimated US$9.6 billion per day. By 28 March, at least 369 ships were queuing to pass through the canal.
On 29 March, Ever Given was partially re-floated and moved by about 80 percent in the correct direction, although the bow remained stuck until the ship was finally freed by 14 Egyptian, Dutch, and Italian tugs at 15:05 EGY (13:05 UTC). As the ship was towed towards the Great Bitter Lake for technical inspection, the canal was checked for damage and found to be sound. The SCA allowed shipping to resume at 19:00 EGY (17:00 UTC). No injuries were reported during the incident.
The vessel was impounded by the Egyptian government on 13 April when its owner and insurers refused to pay the demanded billion-dollar compensation. In July, a formal settlement for an undisclosed sum was reached between the ship owner, the insurers, and the Canal Authority. The ship set sail again on 7 July 2021, stopping for inspections at Port Said before continuing to its original destination, port of Rotterdam. After the incident, the Egyptian government announced that they will widen the narrower parts of the canal.