Suez Canal Is Blocked by Container Ship Causing Huge Traffic Jam
Joshua Sadlock posted on March 26, 2021 |
The Ever Given is run aground in the Suez Canal, leading to a traffic jam for the ages and significa…
The Ever Given towers over a backhoe trying to dislodge it from the bank of the Suez Canal. (Credit: AP/Suez Canal Authority.)
The morning or afternoon traffic jam on our commute to the office or to drop the kids off at school is certainly a nuisance, but unless there’s something seriously out of whack, it will be over in a half hour and we’ll be on our way for the rest of the day. Whatever traffic the average person must deal with might seem like a huge inconvenience, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s entirely manageable and becomes routine after a certain point. What’s currently going on in the Suez Canal … well, that’s a traffic jam of a completely different magnitude.
The Suez Canal—and subsequently global shipping networks—are currently dealing with a multiday delay because the 1,312-foot Ever Given is lodged sideways in the middle of the waterway. The ship, which is taller than the Empire State Building and nearly 200 feet wide, became stuck after strong winds pushed it aground as it was entering the canal. The situation has been made worse by the fact that the ship is blocking a section of the canal that only has one shipping lane—effectively closing off all traffic through the canal. Over 40 oil and gas tankers…