Suez Canal blocked after 400m-long container ship wedges against both sides of waterway

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

Did a search, and got no returns, so if a repeat, my apologies.

Serious development in the Middle East... and it life blood trade artery.. the Suez Canal.

EGYPT’S SUEZ CANAL is currently blocked to all vessels after a mega container ship travelling to the Netherlands turned sideways inside the waterway earlier today.
The 400m-long Ever Given cargo ship, which flies under the flag of Panama, ran aground and turned inside the canal as it travelled north towards the Mediterranean Sea.
The canal, built in 1869 to connect the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, is the shortest maritime route from Europe to Asia.
It has been blocked in both directions for a number of hours despite attempts by a number of Egyptian vessels to free the ship, which is en route from Yantian China to Rotterdam.

Suez Canal blocked after 400m-long container ship wedges against both sides of waterway

Not a good thing to develop as a US Naval group is soon to enter the Black Sea, for "war games"...

Funny how these games just HAD to be played near Ukraine, etc..; just as there is another major conflict rising in the 2 break away far eastern Ukrainian states... just saying.

Hate to say just how vulnerable this vital trade route is at the moment.... considering if for some fluke this ship were to get sunk somehow....blocking the Canal for a month or so...maybe longer?

There are a lot of dodgy things going on in the world right now....

These kind of things make me look with a questioning mind as to really was it an accident, or accidentally on purpose?

Anyhow, hope they get it sorted and on its way soon.... and everyone safe and sound.

Pravdaseeker

There still is enough of a conspiracy nut in me to think it could be intentional, If so whom to keep out or keep in? Not to mention most silly Millenials and GenXers don't know who Blofeld is now Dr.Evil maybe...

Looks like somebody need to call Roto Rooter

Sounds like something out of a Bond movie.


Well played Blofeld.

Well played....

If i were the Captain i would be so tempted to do this every trip just to see the reaction and impact.

If they blame me for the “accident” i can just flee to one of those landlocked countries like Paraguay

a reply to: putnam6

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

Greetings putnam6; thanks for you input.

Nice map showing logged trade artery!

If for some "sinister" reason some rogue nation, or group could block this trade route to "prevent" any military back up a expedient route to offer aid and assistance should "bad things" develop with the Black Sea region, OR....

Or if Israel and Iran tensions go hot....would/could create major support logistics issues if the ship somehow remained in place and wedged.

Or something sinister could be as simple as create a "panic" in supply markets by this accident; and be "positioned" pre-accident to profit greatly from the accident on stock markets, or trade markets, or shipping stocks, etc, etc..

Just like some nebulous group profited greatly from the 9-11 disaster by doing the stock shorts etc prior to the towers coming down. The extreme uptick in shorts, were indicative of prior knowledge, and using that info to profit illegally.

Any pre planned disaster could be used to profit illegally if one was computer and stock market, etc savvy.

Yeah, like the next contributor says... HA! Sounds like a Bond Movie... yep, sure does.

Hopefully as I said, hope they get it sorted very soon and on its way, safe and sound.

If this turns into a terrible s**t show, and blocks the Canal "long term".... then the nefarious concerns become a more likely motive or scenario.

Crossed fingers for all to get sorted soon for everyone involved.

Pravdaseeker

a reply to: pravdaseeker

I'm sure it's just an accident, but there is definitely lots of money at stake if this drags out. Looks like 28 tankers back up behind this as well as 19 cargo ships and 1 or passenger ships

I suspect a mechanical problem. If it were on purpose, they would have blown her bottom out.

Follow it here

www.marinetraffic.com...:32.6/centery:29.8/zoom:11

originally posted by: Nickn3
I suspect a mechanical problem. If it were on purpose, they would have blown her bottom out.

Well if they wanted to block it a long time, perhaps.

But of course, completely off-the-wall speculating here pay off the captain and/or crew. It cripples the oil market

That said they got 6 tugs and special craft on the scene

a reply to: Nickn3

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

Thank you Nickn3... and I do honestly think and hope your response is correct.

On passages in vital waterways, ships have to have extra precautions.

For example, they have both auxiliary generators running instead of just one, sharing the load,( in case of a failure, and loss of ship control, the one left running maintains ship control)

Even small luxury yachts must run both generators etc.. it is part of the maritime safety protocol.

There must have been a good wind blowing too, after the loss of power, as you stated. And then somehow it rocks and rolls around and gets stuck! Granted, this should be the most likely/logical cause and effect of this Suez Canal stuff up.

If it is because the ship was in such disrepair that main propulsion failed/broke down mid passage...well, I wouldn't want to be that captain. He most likely would be in big trouble, and his name would be Mudd.... to allow things to get to the point of failure.

This "stuff up" is costing a bloody fortune for many companies etc.

I also agree with you, if it was for real bad reasons, bottom would be blown.

Hopefully there is no "volatile" or flammable cargo in some of those tons of shipping containers..that somehow might get "activated".

Pravdaseeker

a reply to: putnam6

Dear ATS Readers, Writers,

Thanks again mate for your input... YES must agree..

As I said in reply to Nickn3... yep, it is costing a fortune just dealing with the stuck ship, let alone any other factors.

Your link with the traffic, and the info on how many ships are stuck waiting for the Canal to re-open is pure gold mate, thanks.

Pravdaseeker

a reply to: pravdaseeker



That's a big, big mess.

Ever Given: www.vesselfinder.com...

Here's a thread on the traffic jam...

twitter.com...

If this was on purpose the ship would have been sunk.
Either a drunk driver or mechanical problem

This is kinda wild.

In a crap news day, this feels different. Thanks OP

originally posted by: EndtheMadnessNow

Ever Given: www.vesselfinder.com...

Here's a thread on the traffic jam...

twitter.com...

LOL exactly what I was thinking LOL thanks for the links...

originally posted by: Bluntone22
If this was on purpose the ship would have been sunk.
Either a drunk driver or mechanical problem

Maybe the captain changed his mind and wanted to make a U-turn.

Obviously, I've read too many Clive Cussler books...but this has caught my interest lol

a reply to: Nickn3


Wife just stepped in saying the ship is now reported to be "taking on water".

The plot thickens..

Pravdaseeker

originally posted by: pravdaseeker
a reply to: Nickn3


Wife just stepped in saying the ship is now reported to be "taking on water".

The plot thickens..

Pravdaseeker

Where did she hear that from? that's not good it could be stuck for days

they will need NUMA Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino

oil prices up .20 in the last few minutes I've been watching make that .40