Suez Canal remains impassable

Tugboats, dredgers, diggers and winches have been employed to move the Ever Given, blocking the Suez Canal since Tuesday (23Mar21) but the efforts to move it have so far proved in vain.

Canal service provider, Leth Agencies, says tugs and dredgers have been working almost continuously to attempt to re-float the grounded vessel. It says there have been no reported collisions caused by the grounding, and is documenting updates on Twitter.

Ship-tracking software on Thursday morning shows five tugs surrounding the Ever Given and three more heading towards it.

Peter Berdowski, the CEO of specialist dredging company Boskalis which has sent a crew to the scene, says data so far suggested “it is not really possible to pull it loose” and that it might need to be unloaded, a process that could take weeks, according to The Guardian.

“It’s a very heavy whale on the beach, so to speak.”

Industry experts warn a flood of insurance claims is likely as around 150 ships are delayed.

The ship had two pilots from Egypt’s canal authority aboard when the grounding happened.