News out of Egypt this morning, where a 399-metre-long container behemoth blocking the Suez Canal north of Port Tawfiq has led to ocean freight delays, rerouting of vessels, and ridicule from social media jesters, is that the Ever Given is floating again.
According to a Tweet sent out by marine service provider Inchcape Shipping, the Evergreen Marine vessel was refloated this morning at approximately 04:30 Central African Time.
This came after dislodging efforts were ramped up over the weekend, with at least 15 tugboats working the stricken vessel while dredging was under way.
Prior to Inchcape’s announcement, it was reported that efforts to unmoor the Neo Panamax vessel from the east bank of the Canal’s southern channel had resulted in at least 20 000 tonnes of sand being removed from under the ship’s hull.
Aided by an incoming tide from the Gulf of Suez, water started lifting the 20 388-TEU vessel, moving her some 29 metres at one stage, before the Ever Given finally dislodged from the sandbank where she has been stuck since last Tuesday.
According to Japanese enterprise Shoei Kisen Kaisha, the owners of the carrier, a depth of 18 metres had to be cleared around the Ever Given’s bow before it was refloated.
Although working the Ever Given with tugs in large part assisted dredging while the spring tide came in, it was a touch and go affair as it was feared that it could damage the hull of the 200 000-tonne vessel.
Divers were regularly inspecting the ship’s hull while dislodging was under way.
After it was refloated, the Ever Given was first secured before guiding ships towed it to Bitter Lake to the north where repair work to the damaged steering mechanism will be assessed.
In the meantime, it is expected that the important waterway will resume operations as early as this afternoon, with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) indicating that it will be on a first-come first-served basis.
Since the Ever Given grabbed international headlines, some 400 box ships, multi-purpose vessels, tankers and livestock carriers have amassed at both entry points of the Suez, with many ships rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope on their east-west journeys.
At the time the vessel was dislodged this morning, the SCA had counted 367 vessels waiting to transit through the Canal.
With fears remaining that there is significant risk to livestock on board about 14 vessels waiting to get through, the SCA said preference would be given to vessels whose cargo was at risk.
