![]() Now, what does this have to do with astronomy? The first thing I did when I heard about this grounding was pull up a tidal chart of the Suez Canal.Įach day, we experience two high tides: one when the Moon is almost but not actually straight overhead, and one when the Moon is almost straight beneath our feet. ![]() We have to admit that we’re out of our depth when it comes to shipping, and Ally, who was a project manager for a global shipping company – and who is currently very glad she is now a producer for us and not involved in this particular nightmare – wrote the earlier portions of this story. The Ever Given is the fourth ship to run aground in the Suez since 2016. ![]() It also raises concerns about the safety of allowing larger and larger ships through the canal. This means there is almost no room (literally and figuratively) for error. Likewise, the ship’s beam and draft - that is, the breadth of the ship at its broadest point and the vertical distance between the waterline and keel - are barely within the maximum allowable through the canal. Due to safety concerns, vessels longer than 400 meters need permission from the Suez Canal Authority to transit the canal, putting the Ever Given right at the max length. CREDIT: Īccording to a 2019 paper published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, terminals and waterways are struggling to accommodate so-called mega container ships like the Ever Given. IMAGE: Tide measurements for the Suez Canal. Reports say it’s going to take days, maybe even weeks, to refloat the ship and allow traffic to resume. Satellite images show the Ever Given sitting diagonally across the entire width of the canal. Navigation in the Suez was made even more challenging for the Ever Given by a sandstorm and 50-kilometer winds, which caused the ship to lose control and hit the bottom of the canal. In an image from the Russian satellite Canopus-B, you can get a sense of just how stuck this ship is, and a hint at its size, which is essentially the size of the Empire State Building laid on its side! The vessel, named the Ever Given, measures 400 meters long and 59 meters wide, making it one of the largest container ships in the world and challenging to navigate through the relatively narrow Suez Canal. ![]() Our What’s Up segment is about astronomy, just in a roundabout way.Įarlier this week a large container ship ran aground in the Suez Canal, where it is currently still blocking all maritime traffic through one of the busiest waterways in the world. Start Live-Tracking with FleetMon Explorer.IMAGE: Russian satellite “Canopus B” image showing the megaship Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal. Similar other chokepoints exist in the Suez, Panama Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, and Southeast Asia's Malacca Strait. This highlights a major risk factor in the global supply chain: the existence of maritime chokepoints. and Europe."Īround 185 vessels, mostly bulk carriers, container ships, and oil or chemical tankers, were waiting to cross the canal on Wednesday. Even a two-day delay would further add to the supply chain disruption slowing the delivery of cargo to businesses across the U.K. Greg Knowler, the European editor at JOC Group, which is part of IHS Markit Ltd, said, "The Suez Canal blockage comes at a particularly unhelpful time. However, as per Nick Sloane, the salvage master responsible for refloating the Costa Concordia, it's safe to say that the best chance for freeing the ship may not come until Sunday or Monday when the tide will reach a peak. The situation has gotten so frantic that an elite salvage squad will be arriving today to work on prising the Ever Given from the bank of the canal, where it's obstructing ocean-bound carriers, ranging from bulk carriers, all the way to oil tankers and container ships. This is increasing the chances of a prolonged delay in the global supply chain, which can amplify the woes of commoners around the world. The canal is so strategic that world powers have fought over the waterway since it was completed in 1869.ĭuring WWII, one of the main factors which ensured Allied victory was the ability of their troops to keep the supply chain flowing by controlling the Suez, which was constantly under Axis shelling.Īs FleetMon reported on the grounding of Ultra Large Container Vessel EVER GIVEN on Mar 23, authorities have been constantly trying to use tugs and diggers to dislodge the massive 400m long container ship, but to no avail. The reason: about 12% of the global trade flowing through a single canal, one connecting two continents- Asia and Europe. There's no denying that the Suez Canal is the world's most important waterway.
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