Suez Canal Blocked

[tiggerblue10]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-56505413

I didn't realise the Suez Canal was so narrow or is it that Evergreen is just mahussive? Is this the largest vessel or are their larger ones?

[davebro]

I think it's wide enough for 2 ships to pass. I wonder how much it contributes to Egypt's GDP?

[TonyV]

Last I heard, around lunchtime was that Evergreen had been pulled of sandbank and the canal was open again.

[jno]

it's just that you're supposed to sail along the canal rather than across it. Somebody should have a word with the captain.

The ship's name is Ever Given, which sounds even worse than Boaty McBoatface.

[lankeela]

Listened to radio 2 at lunchtime about this, it is only wide enough for one ship but there are 'passing places' but they only allow one way at a time and they follow through in convoy.

[Togo]

Don't know about Egypt but about 12% of all World trade passes through the canal. Did you know that prior to entering the canal that the ship, according to satellite tracking data, drew a giant penis in the Red Sea? Hope they are not taking the wotsit.

[Togo]

The Captain said our navigator is a bit of a hickdead.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/worldnews/14442468/cargo-ship-drew-giant-peni-red-sea-suez-canal/

[TonyV]

jno what's the name on the side of the ship about then?

[tamborine]

Betchya the Egyptians aint gonna let that loose till they pillage its stock ;)

[tiggerblue10]

I was just looking at the name on the side.

I prefer Boaty McBoatface tbh.

[TonyV]

tigger I have to agree with your suggested name lol

[DTCwordfan]

It doesn't look that narrow when you are on site in either Port Said or Port Suez.....I'm not a mariner - was there as both towns were duty free zones. Talk about dusty bowls and hot too!

[alavahalf]

The boat is over 400mtr long .. quarter of a mile !

[Canary42]

The vessel finder website indicates it's still stuck there.

https://www.vesselfinder.com

It's one of a new breed of so-called super-ships; incidentally they're too big for the Panama Canal.

[tiggerblue10]

Just looked it up and the largest vessel is Knock Nevis or Seawise Giant.

[woofgang]

I have been on supertankers that long. They are made to flex in heavy seas and its quite exciting to see the bow wobble up and down. Suez is narrow but not as narrow as Panama.

[TonyV]

Apparently EVERGREEN are the ships owners / operators

[DTCwordfan]

They're Taiwanese owned.....good luck to extracting any money from them.

[New Judge]

//I wonder how much it contributes to Egypt's GDP?//

Egypt's GDP is about $300bn. In 2020 revenue from the canal was $1.9bn.

The canal is about 200m wide and the ship is 400m long and 59m wide. The Suez canal is a sea level canal with no locks and the main consideration for maximum size is the ship's beam and draft. The maximum beam is 77m but this may be less depending on the draft.

As canary mentions, the ship would not fit through the Panama Canal. The new "NeoPanamax" dimensions (the maximum size allowed through the canal following its expansion in 2016) is 366m x 51m. The original Panamax dimensions were 290m x 32m.

[DTCwordfan]

Biggest vessel that I have been on was a 75kt MR product tanker out of Singapore and to Hong Kong - that was big enough and they had bicycles aboard to go up and down the main deck.