A container ship ran aground and blocked the Cana …

The “Ever Given”, a container ship 400 meters long, ran aground in the Suez Canal due to a gust of wind. Egyptian authorities are carrying out tasks to free this river passage, one of the busiest trade routes in the world, where other ships are waiting to pass.

Admiral Osama Rabie, chairman of the Egyptian Suez Canal Authority (SCA), said in a statement that “Authority rescue units and tugs continue efforts” to unlock “Ever Given”. To help free up maritime traffic in the region, authorities announced the reopening of the historic section of the canal.

The “Ever Given”, a vessel weighing over 219,000 tonnes which headed to Rotterdam (Holland) from Asia, walked through the traffic blockage as it had just passed through the southern entrance to the Suez Canal

The company Evergreen Marine Corp assured that it was in contact “with the interested parties, including the Authority which manages the channel, to help the vessel as soon as possible”. “The container ship accidentally ran aground, probably after being hit by a gust of wind”the company said.

Behind the “Ever Given” other ships were stranded, such as the container ship “Maersk Denver”. According to maritime sources, 30 ships are immobilized at the northern entrance to the canal and three others at the southern entrance.

The canal -created at the initiative of the French businessman and diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps- is an essential source of income for Egypt, to which he contributed $ 5,610 million last year. According to experts, through the Suez Canal, which is currently 193.30 km long and 24 meters deep, 10% of international maritime trade passes.