Ship Refloated After Being Stuck In The Suez Canal For Hours
A large merchant ship was successfully refloated with help from tugboats after being stuck in the Suez Canal for several hours on Thursday, averting a repeat of the 2021 stranding of the M/V Ever Given which lasted for nearly a week and severely disrupted global trade.
In this photo provided by The Suez Canal Authority in Egypt, the bulk carrier ship Xin Hai Tong 23, ... [+] left, is towed after it ran aground at the southern mouth of the Suez Canal.
Suez Canal Authority Key FactsThe Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier M/V Xin Hai Tong 23 became grounded at 4 a.m. local time as it was traveling southward, shipping agency Leth announced on Twitter.
The tug boats were able to successfully refloat the stranded bulk carrier at around 7:40 a.m. local time, according to a follow-up statement by Leth Agencies.
The Suez Canal Authority issued a statement saying the ship was dealing with an engine failure.
The convoy of ships moving northwards was scheduled to enter the canal at 6:00 a.m. local time, but will now do so at 9:30 a.m., the statement added.
According to the tracker Vessel Finder, Xin Hai Tong 23 has already made its way through the Suez Canal.
The Suez Canal Authority confirmed “navigation was resumed normally in both directions once the vessel was towed as a precautionary measure aimed at ensuring...safety.”
Key BackgroundThursday’s incident is the latest in a series of groundings that have taken place inside the Suez Canal in recent years. The biggest of these took place in 2021, when the M/V Ever Given, one of the world’s largest container ships got stuck in the canal after strong winds led to the crew losing steering control of the vehicle. Just shy of 400 meters, the Ever Given is more than twice as long as the 190-meter-long Xin Hai Tong 23 and even longer than the width of the canal. The ship remained stranded for six days, preventing any other vessels from passing through the canal. According to estimates, the blockage of traffic on both sides of the canal was cost the global economy nearly $9.6 billion every day.
Further ReadingShip briefly stranded in Suez Canal successfully refloated (Reuters)
