Tuesday evening, March 23 (Thailand time) NBC, Bloomburg and all other international press report breaking news on Suez Canal blocked by a massive huge cargo vessel as she got stuck, tilted sideway across the canal strand.
Suez canal in Egypt is one of the two most important trade lanes of the world to join Asia / Europe sea transportation between Red Sea and Mediterranean. The other one is Panama Canal connecting north, south and central America to the rest of the world.
Suez Canal accounts by approximately 12% of worldwide international transport by sea and generally is the trade lane to serve around 50 cargo vessels daily passing through it, not to mention about many more tankers and passenger cruise ships which is substantial slow down during the current world pandemic situation.
The cargo vessel, named : EVER GIVEN one of the biggest cargo vessel with 220,000 MT capacity, 1,312-foot long and about 200-foot wide on her turning sideway near the southern edge of the canal was more than enough to block the entire canal channel, allowing no other ships to pass.
The ship was on her way from Shanghai bounding for Rotterdam and other main European ports of call.
Consequently, hundreds of tanker were seen lining up for the entrance which seem to be pending some more days. This reflected very sudden increase of 4% oil price the same night.
The cause was suspected on heavy sandstorm making too poor visibility resulting the ship collided to canal strand. Experts also anticipated the cause could be a malfunction of main onboard electric generator, causing the total blackout onboard which stop the main engine and propels, steering lost still push the vessel running with her heavy load momentum uncontrollable until collision was made to the bank.
So far, no record of casualty or injured crew or third party, However, Egyptian officials at the Suez Canal Authority confirmed that they were still trying to refloat the ship but was so far, attempt to dislodge the ship from her stuck was still in vain. Anticipated several more days were needed to rescue the ship. Therefore, great numbers of vessel had diverted their route after 24 hours of waiting for the situation to become relief but still failed.
Managing partner of Evergreen Lines, Bernhard Schulte Ship Management, however confirm that all crews were safe and there was still no further report of injuries or pollution.
However, import / export business to and from Europe would inevitably impact on this accident. Current delay / roll over which recorded to be unacceptable for all importers and exporters will obviously be even worse when main route of transport is blocked.
Credit :picture from NBC news
