After a Ukrainian-grain-laden cargo vessel ran aground on Monday, the Suez Canal’s maritime traffic was back to “normal”. The Egyptian authority which manages the canal said that the vessel was later refloated, and the vessel was then tow away.
The incident, which involved M/V Glory (a Marshall Islands-flagged M/V Glory), briefly raised fears that the canal could be blocked again, similar to what happened in 2021 when Ever Given, a huge container ship, got stuck diagonally in it.
Man-made waterways, which link Europe and Asia, were shut down for a week. This was due to delays in shipping. A Suez Canal Authority employee also died in the process.
Osama Rahi, the chief of SCA gave the all-clear Monday. He stated that “traffic is moving normally along the Suez Canal” because officials had “mobilized four tugboats for the ship”, which allowed the vessel to continue its sail through it.
In a statement, the chief said that “The canal is on track for 51 vessels passing in either direction Monday.” Egypt, currently in economic crisis, is grateful for the smooth flow traffic through the Suez Canal.
The canal, which is used to carry out 10% of all maritime trade around the world, is one of Egypt’s major sources of foreign currency revenue. It adds more $7 billion annually.
After the Ever Given was blocked, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Egyptian President, approved a plan to expand and deepen the canal’s south section.