Suez Canal: Last of the vessels blocked by the Ever Given pass through canal, ending shipping backlog

The Ever Given blocking the Suez Canal
The Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal on March 23, causing significant shipping disruption. Photo credit: Getty Images

All vessels stranded by the grounding of the giant container ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal last month have passed through the waterway, ending the backlog built up during the blockage, the canal authority said.

The remaining 61 ships out of the 422 vessels that were queuing when the vessel was dislodged on Monday (local time) passed through the vital trade artery on Saturday, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said.

International supply chains were thrown into disarray when the 400-metre-long Ever Given ran aground in the canal on March 23, with specialist rescue teams taking almost a week to free her after extensive dredging and repeated tugging operations.

In total, 85 ships had been due to pass through the canal on Saturday (local time), including 24 ships that arrived after Ever Given was dislodged, the SCA said.

An SCA investigation began on Wednesday into what caused the vessel to run aground in the canal and block the waterway for six days, the canal authority's chairman, Osama Rabie, told the MBC Masr private TV late on Friday.

"The investigation is going well and will take two more days, then we will announce the results," he added.

Reuters