The maritime traffic of the Suez Canal returned to “normal” on Monday after a cargo vessel filled with Ukrainian grain ran aground but was later refloated and then the vessel was towed away, the Egyptian authority, which runs the waterway, said.
The incident, which involved the 225-metre-long Marshall Islands-flagged M/V Glory, briefly created fears that the canal may face blockage similar to the one it faced in 2021 when the giant container ship Ever Given was stuck diagonally in the canal.
The man-made waterway, which linked Europe and Asia, was closed for a week which cost billions of dollars due to delays in shipping, and the Suez Canal Authority’s employee also lost his life in the operation.
On Monday, SCA chief Osama Rabie gave the all-clear when he stated “traffic is moving normally on the Suez Canal” after the officials had “mobilised four tugboats to tow the ship”, helping the vessel to resume its sail through the canal.
“The canal is on track to register 51 vessels passing in both directions Monday,” the chief, said in a statement. The smooth flow of traffic through the Suez Canal is important for Egypt, which is currently facing an economic crisis.
WATCH| Suez Canal Crisis: ‘Ever Given’ remains stuck for sixth day
The canal, which is used for carrying out 10% of maritime trade in the world, is among the major sources of Egypt’s foreign currency revenue, adding more than $7 billion a year.
A project to deepen and widen the canal’s southern section was approved by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi after the Ever Given was stuck.
(With inputs from agencies)
