Cairo: – The blockade in the Suez Canal was cleared on Monday, after seven days. Agencies have succeeded in moving the vessel MV Ever Given, which is sailing between China and Europe. With this, the freight movement has been started in the Suez Canal. The companies in the sector claim that it can take a long time to fulfil the backlog created due to the seven-day blockade. Simultaneously, efforts to search for an alternative route for the Suez Canal are also being made.
Last week, MV Ever Given, a ship sailing towards the Mediterranean Sea, was trapped in a smoke storm and got stuck across the Suez Canal. The vessel, weighing more than 220,000 tonnes, is 400 metres in length. More than 400 freight ships were stranded due to the blockade created by this ship that was capable of carrying more than 20,000 containers. Concerns were being expressed that the accumulated losses were mounting to billions of dollars. The company involved in the rescue operation had warned that it could take weeks to clear the blockade.
After the completion of five days of the blockade, freight movement companies decided to change their ships’ routes. Indications were also given to find an alternative way to the Suez Canal. Russia suggested the course through the North Sea via the Arctic for these freight ships from Europe and Asia. Iran suggested the 7,200 kilometres long Chabahar corridor connecting the port to Russia via Azerbaijan. The United States and China announced despatching their naval and special units to clear the blockade.
The Egyptian agencies had started efforts to lift and free the front and rear ends of the ship MV Ever Given by using dredgers. On Monday morning, as per Indian time, the vessel was successfully pulled out and was sailing again. It took till afternoon to straighten the ship parallel to the coast with tug boats. After that, MV Ever Given started its voyage to the Mediterranean Sea, and the journey is being monitored with satellite tracking. The freight movement through the Suez Canal slowly started by Monday night. Hundreds of ships were stranded at both ends of the Suez Canal. Although the blockade has been cleared, it is being said that it could take days to ease the traffic jam in Suez Canal. Therefore, claims are also being made that it could take days to fulfil the backlog created by the blockade.
Meanwhile, the international companies are claiming that there is a dire need to find an alternative route to the Suez Canal. Analysts are pointing out that if this channel, which is responsible for the freight movement of 3 million tonnes per day, gets blocked again in the future, it would have a detrimental effect even on the oil movements.
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