Egypt suspends Suez Canal traffic while efforts to dislodge ship continue

Dubai: Egyptian authorities announced on Thursday the temporary suspension of navigation in the Suez Canal to float the huge container ship that blocked the vital waterway since Tuesday.

Authorities renewed their rescue effort, using dredgers to remove material from around the giant ship and tugs to try to nudge it back to deeper water. Its bow appears to be stuck in the canal’s eastern bank.

The MV Ever Given, a Panama-flagged vessel operated by Taiwanese company Evergreen and owned by Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd, of Japan, became wedged sideways across the canal on Tuesday following strong winds.

Owner apologises

Some 150 ships are now queueing to pass through the vital waterway, which carries about one-tenth of the world’s trade.

The owner of the 200,000-tonne container ship apologised for the disruption it has caused.

Ever Given is a 400m behemoth capable of carrying 20,000 containers.