Maersk Containership, Bulk Carrier Run Aground in Suez Canal -Sources

CAIRO, April 18 (Reuters) – A container ship ran aground in Egypt’s Suez Canal in dense mist on Saturday morning, the canal authority mentioned, delaying visitors by means of an important international commerce route for a number of hours.

A Maersk Line spokesman advised Reuters the Danish-flagged Susan Maersk sustained no harm or casualties when it ran onto a sand financial institution whereas heading north. He mentioned the vessel remained seaworthy and was ready to be pulled off the sand.

Sources within the canal authority mentioned one other ship in the identical convoy, the Liberian-flagged Margaret Oldendorff, had additionally ran aground. The two incidents delayed visitors for a number of hours, they mentioned.

Other sources within the authority had earlier mentioned that the 2 ships had collided, resulting in a small puncture within the Margaret Oldendorff above the water’s floor which didn’t forestall it from persevering with its journey.

Reuters was not instantly in a position to attain that ship’s operator for remark.

The Suez Canal is among the world’s most strategic waterways, facilitating a lot of the maritime commerce between Europe and Asia.

It gives about $5 billion in annual income for Egypt, which is at present digging an extension to the 145-year-old waterway to scale back wait time.

(Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Crispian Balmer)