How are they trying to free the Ever Given?
On the 24th of March, the 400 metre container ship "Ever Given" run aground on the Suez Canal, completely blocking it. The canal is among the most important waterways in the world, as it connects the east and west and accounts for about 12% of total global trade. There are plans to free the vessel using tugs, dredging (removing soil from below the hull), or unloading part of the cargo, however, there is a risk connected to the latter as it could cause imbalance and thus damage to the ship. Experts warn these operations could take several weeks. The ship is holding an estimated $9,6 bn each day ($6,6 mil every minute) from passing through the Canal.
Even though this is just one vessel, it could cause considerable damage to the world economy. The blockage has already sent oil prices climbing on international markets. I hope the issue will be resolved soon.
https://www.bbc.com/news/56523659
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56533250
Apparently, this is not the first time something like this has happened. The Suez Canal is just really narrow for today's huge cargo ships. There was a piece in the Guardian where a reporter described her experience sailing the canal on a cargo ship along : an exhausted and overstretched international crew, a careless local pilot and navigating challenges.
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