Efforts to restore the Ever Given began at high tide Thursday, with five tubs working to drag the vessel into deeper water, according to vessel discovery data.
The carrier – which is almost as long as the high Empire State Building – landed Tuesday after being caught in 40-knot winds and a sandstorm that caused low visibility and poor sailing. , the Suez Canal Authority said in a statement Wednesday.
The large vessel, which is 400 meters long and 59 meters wide, continues to impede the movement of all sides through the main shipping channel.
The world’s largest shipping company Maersk said Wednesday that seven of its shipping lanes have been affected.
Four of the vessels are engaged in the nearby canal system while the rest are waiting to enter the corridor, the Danish company said in a statement.
“Maersk is constantly monitoring the current situation in the Suez Canal and closely follows the restoration efforts of the affected vessel. Svitzer, our provider of towing and safety services , participating in ongoing refurbishment work at the request of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), “the statement added.
The marine services company GAC issued a note to overnight messages stating that efforts to free the vessel using towing boats would continue, but that the wind conditions and the size of the vessel hinder the work. “
Ship tracking software shows five tubs around the Ever Given and three more approaching. The ship’s GPS signal shows only small changes positioned over the past 24 hours, however.
Several dozen vessels, including other large vessels, tankers carrying oil and gas, and large vessels hauling grain have been supported at each end of the waterway to make one of the best shipping tags worse than seen in years.
About 30% of the world’s shipping volumes travel through the Suez Canal 193 kilometers (120 miles) per day, and about 12% of total global trade in goods.
Shipping experts say if the blockage is unlikely to be cleared within the next 24 to 48 hours, some shipping companies may have to recycle vessels around southern Africa, which about a week to the trip.
But the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority told the media that, despite obstruction, some cargo was able to move south and efforts to disperse Ever Given continued.