‘Beached whale’ ship could block Suez Canal for weeks

The 400-metre-long ship is blocking transit in both directions through one of the world’s busiest shipping channels.

One of the largest container ships in the world blocking the Suez Canal like a “beached whale” may take weeks to free, a salvage company has said, as officials stopped all ships entering the channel on Thursday in a new setback for global trade. The 400 metres (430 yards) long Ever Given – almost equal to the height of the New York City’s Empire State Building – is blocking transit in both directions through one of the world’s busiest shipping channels for oil and grain and other trade linking Asia and Europe. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said eight tugs were working to move the vessel, which got stuck diagonally across the single-lane southern stretch of the canal on Tuesday morning amid strong winds and a dust storm.