Tugs and diggers have so far failed to dislodge a massive container ship stuck in the Suez Canal for a third day, increasing the chances of prolonged delays in what is arguably the world’s most important waterway.
Work to re-float the Ever Given was suspended until Thursday morning in Egypt, shipping agent Inchcape said, citing the Suez Canal Authority. Dredgers are still trying to loosen the vessel before any attempt to pull it out, the ship’s manager said.
It’s taxing to even grasp how big this ship is. About 400 meters long and weighing in at 200,000 metric tons, its sheer size is overwhelming the efforts to dig it out. A huge yellow excavator looked like a child’s toy parked next to the ship’s bulking bow.