Suez Canal reopens for international trade

The  Ever Given Ship stuck in the Suez Canal for almost a week has been refloated and the canal open for international trade.

The Ever Given ship was successfully turned by an Egyptian crew in the Suez Canal early Monday morning, after it was stuck for nearly a week, according to canal authorities.

Videos posted by several reporters on Twitter showed tug boat teams celebrating as the front of the ship appeared to be moving in the canal once again.

The Suez Canal in Egypt is now free from gridlock after 7 days.

The operation to refloat and move the huge Evergreen ship involved over a dozen tugboats, many of them were from Egypt. pic.twitter.com/1OvAoVXJ1d

— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) March 29, 2021

Greetings and appreciation to the Egyptian administration and the Suez Canal Authority for this work pic.twitter.com/dfS8AdDbmn

— مًحًـمًدٍ إبرآهّيَـمً Fathelbab (@IbrahemFthelbab) March 29, 2021

The massive ship’s grounding impeded international trade, resulting in a pileup with hundreds of vessels in the canal.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) confirmed in a statement that the ship is now partially floated and turned in the “right direction.” Canal service firms and maritime service providers previously reported the ship was once again afloat.

The authority’s chief, Osama Rabie, said workers used “pulling manoeuvres” to move the ship.

The shipping traffic monitoring site, MarieTraffic.com, said satellite data showed the ship’s bow has been moved, but there is “still some work to do.”

Suzan O/Bloomberg/AFN