Update from gCaptain:
Grounded Mega Ship in Suez Canal Paralyzes Trade for Second Day
Tugs and diggers have so far failed to dislodge a massive container ship stuck in the Suez Canal on Wednesday, increasing the chances of prolonged delays in what is arguably the world’s most important waterway.
Work to re-float the ship was suspended until Thursday morning in Egypt, shipping agent Inchcape said, citing the Suez Canal Authority. Dredgers are still trying to loosen the vessel before any attempt to pull it out, the ship’s manager said.
It’s taxing to even grasp how big this ship is. About a quarter mile long (400 meters) and weighing in at 200,000 metric tons, its sheer size is overwhelming the efforts to dig it out. A huge yellow excavator, itself about twice as tall as its driver, looked like child’s toy parked next to the ship’s bulbous bow.
The people standing by the excavator really show the scale of this. Imagine how large a Conex box is - 20' long by 8 or 9 feet tall and wide. This ship can hold a little over 20,000 of these. Huge. The ship had been purpose-built to be as large as possible but to still fit through the Suez Canal. Designed specifically for the Asia-Europe trade routes. This is going to shut things down for a little while.
A good time to be in the marine salvage business.
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