Almost a week after it ran aground in Suez Canal, blocking hundreds of ships, the giant cargo ship MV Ever Given was seen floating in videos that emerged on social media.
About 27,000 cubic meters of sand were dug out, to a depth of 18 meters, to free the ship, according to reports.
For six days, the giant vessel had been wedged diagonally across the Suez Canal – one of the world’s most vital waterways – since March 23 leading to a long queue of more than 450 ships at the southern entrance to the trade route.
— Mhmdzaki (@mhmdzaki69) March 29, 2021
The backlog severely strained global supply chains already stretched by the pandemic as the canal is a conduit for about 12% of global trade. Some ships opted for the long and expensive trip around the southern tip of Africa instead of Suez.
Egypt – which controls the canal – had been reportedly losing around 14 million dollar per day in revenue because of the accidental blockade.