Ever Given in the Suez Canal now afloat: Everything you need to know

Image Credit: Julianne Cona/Instagram

After nearly six days of being lodged aground, the Ever Given ship is now afloat. That’s according to Inchcape, a shipping services provider, and ship tracker Marine Traffic. However, the ship being floated may not fix the entire problem, as the giant Ever Given still needs to be maneavored to free passage through the canal.

The Suez Canal is one of the world’s most important waterways. Located 75 miles east of Cairo, the capital, it links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, allowing for direct shipping from Europe to Asia. Roughly 12% of the world’s shipping traffic and a chunk of its oil supply goes through the manmade canal, which has become particularly vital following pandemic-related disruptions to shipping. 

If the canal’s cargo traffic is disrupted, that means delays in everything from oil to food to clothing to semiconductors. Which is why it’s a big deal that a 1,312-foot-long cargo ship called Ever Given has been blocking the Suez Canal since last Tuesday.

With the waterway blockage entering its sixth day, the fallout is reverbarating around the world. But on Sunday night (Monday morning Egypt time), a breakthrough was reached.

Article URL: https://www.cnet.com/news/ever-given-in-the-suez-canal-now-afloat-everything-you-need-to-know/