THE giant container ship that blocked the Suez Canal may have fallen victim to an Ancient Egyptian mummy's curse, it has been claimed.
Social media is abuzz with sinister theories after the 400m-long Ever Given became wedged in the shipping lane conditions on Tuesday last week.
Although the official cause is high winds causing the ship to run aground, some have linked the Suez crisis to two other mysterious incidents in Egypt last week – following a controversial decision about Pharoahs' tombs.
Officials are planning on transport 22 royal mummies – including the remains of King Ramses II and Queen Ahmose-Nefertari – from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat on April 3.
Shortly after news of the mummy move emerged, the Ever Given ran aground in the canal, a 10-story building collapsed at Suez Bridge, a fatal train accident took place, and several fires broke out across the country.
A millennia-old legend suggests anyone who disturbs Ancient Egyptian mummies will be hit by a curse that was laid upon the remains by priests during their burials thousands of years ago.
Yesterday the giant container was finally freed – but it will take days before the traffic jam it caused is finally cleared.
Follow our live blog below for all the latest Suez Canal news and updates…
- Alice Peacock
HOW BIG IS THE BACKLOG OF BOATS?
At least 369 vessels were waiting – and many still are – to transit the canal, including dozens of container ships, bulk carriers and oil and gas tankers.
Some ships had decided to reroute their cargoes around the Cape of Good Hope, adding about two weeks to journeys and extra fuel costs.
Crude oil prices fell after news the ship had been refloated with Brent crude down by $1 per barrel to $63.67.
- Alice Peacock
SATELLITE PICTURES FROM SPACE SHOWS MONSTER CARGO SHIP WEDGED IN CANAL
Yesterday, satellite data showed the mega-ship had finally been straightened after its rear end was moved thanks to high tides brought on by a supermoon.
Canal officials said the skyscraper-sized boat had been turned "80 per cent in the right direction" after the stern was shifted with "pulling manoeuvres" that moved it 335ft from the bank.
The megaship was this morning being towed to the middle of the waterway and toward the Great Bitter Lake, a wide stretch of water halfway between the north and south end of the canal.
- Alice Peacock
HOW WAS THE EVER GIVEN FREED?
Rescue crews freed the vessel using tug boats and digging, even as analysts warned the monster vessel may be too heavy for such an operation.
The salvage team dredged beneath the vessel's bow with high pressure water jets to wrench the ship from the clay, said Berdowski.
Eleven tugboats were helped by several diggers which vacuumed up sand underneath at high tide brought on by a "supermoon".
The full moon raises the water level due to its gravitational pull on the earth, canal services firm Leth Agencies said.
- Alice Peacock
FIRST SHIPS PASS THROUGH SUEZ CANAL AFTER EVER GIVEN FREED
The first cargo ships successfully passed through the Suez Canal yesterday evening. after the Ever Given mega-ship blocking it was finally freed.
Rescuers released the front end of the monster cargo boat at around 4.30am after it was wedged in the vital shipping route for nearly a week.
And long-awaited action was finally recorded in the waterway last night, with ship tracking website Maritime Traffic counting a number of vessels passing through.
A Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship, the "YM Wish," was the first vessel allowed through and exited the southern end at around 9:15 p.m. EDT in the U.S, The New York Times reports.
It was said to be headed to the Red Sea and Jedda, the Saudi Arabian port city.
- Alice Peacock
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR A SHIP TO PASS THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL?
The Suez Canal is one of the world’s most important routes, and it’s costing $400million per hour in delayed goods, Lloyd’s List reported.
The canal, which runs through Egypt, provides a vital shipping route that connects Europe to Asia.
Lloyd’s List, a London-based shipping-news journal, estimated the value of cargo goods passing through the canal every day at $9.7billion on average, with $5.1billion travelling west and $4.6billion travelling east.
The average number of vessels passing through the canal each day is 93 – which is why hundreds of ships are currently trapped around the stuck Ever Given.
Some 19,000 vessels passed through the canal last year, according to official figures.
- Alice Peacock
INSURANCE INDUSTRY BRACES FOR CLAIMS
The insurance industry is bracing for claims taken out on the containers stacked high on the Ever Given.
Potentially thousands of insurance policies taken out on the steel boxes could result in millions of dollars in payouts, Bloomberg reported.
Taiwan’s Evergreen Line, which chartered the Ever Given, said the ship’s owner, Shoie Kisen Kaisha Ltd, was responsible for any losses.
While the shipowner has taken some responsibility, it has said that charterers needed to deal with the cargo owners.
- Alice Peacock
SALVAGE CHIEF PRAISES TEAM
The boss of the salvage firm who was given the task of rescuing the Ever Given has praised his workers.
Peter Berdowski, chief executive of Boskalis, said in a statement: “Shortly following the grounding of the Ever Given we were requested through SMIT Salvage to provide assistance with the salvage operation.
“I am excited to announce that our team of experts, working in close collaboration with the Suez Canal Authority, successfully refloated the Ever Given on 29 March at 3.05pm local time, thereby making free passage through the Suez Canal possible again.
“I’m extremely proud of the outstanding job done by the team on site as well as the many SMIT Salvage and Boskalis colleagues back home to complete this challenging operation under the watchful eye of the world.
“The time pressure to complete this operation was evident and unprecedented.”
- Alice Peacock
CLEARING BACKLOG OF SHIPS COULD TAKE AT LEAST 10 DAYS
If the Ever Given is freed in the next few days, clearing the backlog of ships would take at least 10 days, data firm Refinitiv has said.
The 400m-long Ever Given became wedged in the shipping lane due to extreme weather conditions last Tuesday.
It has been holding up £6.5billion a day in global trade.
Canal officials said the Ever Given had been turned “80 per cent in the right direction” after the stern was shifted with “pulling manoeuvres” that moved it 335ft from the bank.
- Alice Peacock
HOW WAS THE EVER GIVEN REFLOATED?
Satellite data earlier today showed the Ever Given has been straightened after its rear end was moved thanks to high tides brought on by a supermoon.
- Alice Peacock
SATELLITE PICTURES FROM SPACE SHOWS MONSTER CARGO SHIP WEDGED IN CANAL
The boat had been blocking the trading route since last Tuesday - Alice Peacock
UNCLEAR WHEN SUEZ CANAL WILL OPEN TO OTHER BOATS
The mega-ship longer than the Eiffel Tower blocking the Suez Canal has finally been refloated.
Yet, it remains unclear when the major trading route will reopen again for the hundreds of others boats waiting to pass through.
Clearing the backlog of ships could take at least 10 days, data firm Refinitiv has said.
- Alice Peacock
EVER GIVEN FINALLY SAILS THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL
The Ever Given finally sails through the Suez Canal after a mammoth effort to free the megaship - Alice Peacock
WHEN DID THE EVER GIVEN BECOME STUCK?
The 200,000-tonne vessel, which carries cargo between Asia and Europe, became stuck in a single-lane stretch of the canal last Tuesday.
High winds are understood to have blown the boat, which was en route to the Netherlands from China, across the narrow canal that runs between Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.
With canal transits stopped, Egypt already has lost over $95 million in revenue, according to Refinitiv.
- Alice Peacock
WHEN DID THE EVER GIVEN BECOME STUCK?
The 200,000-tonne vessel, which carries cargo between Asia and Europe, became stuck in a single-lane stretch of the canal last Tuesday.
High winds are understood to have blown the boat, which was en route to the Netherlands from China, across the narrow canal that runs between Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.
With canal transits stopped, Egypt already has lost over $95 million in revenue, according to Refinitiv.
- Alice Peacock
WHEN DID THE EVER GIVEN BECOME STUCK?
The 200,000-tonne vessel, which carries cargo between Asia and Europe, became stuck in a single-lane stretch of the canal last Tuesday.
High winds are understood to have blown the boat, which was en route to the Netherlands from China, across the narrow canal that runs between Africa and the Sinai Peninsula.
With canal transits stopped, Egypt already has lost over $95 million in revenue, according to Refinitiv.
- Alice Peacock
CLEARING BACKLOG OF SHIPS COULD TAKE AT LEAST 10 DAYS
If the Ever Given is freed in the next few days, clearing the backlog of ships would take at least 10 days, data firm Refinitiv has said.
The 400m-long Ever Given became wedged in the shipping lane due to extreme weather conditions last Tuesday.
It has been holding up £6.5billion a day in global trade.
Canal officials said the Ever Given had been turned “80 per cent in the right direction” after the stern was shifted with “pulling manoeuvres” that moved it 335ft from the bank.
- Alice Peacock
EVER GIVEN BEING TOWED TOWARDS GREAT BITTER LAKE
Officials said that rescuers have successfully freed the front end of the Ever Given.
The ship is now being towed to the middle of the waterway and toward the Great Bitter Lake, a wide stretch of water halfway between the north and south end of the canal.
Once there, the ship will undergo a technical examination, officials said.
Peter Berdowski, CEO of Dutch firm Boskalis which is helping in the rescue effort, announced the freeing of the ship.
He said: “I am excited to announce that our team of experts,
working in close collaboration with the Suez Canal Authority, successfully
refloated the Ever Given on 29 March at 15:05 hrs local time, thereby making free passage through the Suez Canal possible again." - Alice Peacock
'AT LEAST TWO DAYS' BEFORE CANAL REOPENS, TANKER CAPTAIN PREDICTS
The captain of the Ithaki warrior, a crude oil tanker from Greece affected by the blockage, says even in the most optimistic scenario it would take at least two days before the canal reopened.
“We’ve basically lost the day," said Symeon Nollas.
"They'll have to take the ship to the [artifical] Great Lakes and that will take at least five hours. Not before tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow, will traffic be able to resume through the canal.”
Sixteen Greek tankers and bulk carriers had been held up by the crisis, along with hundreds of other ships.
- Hana Carter
SALVAGE CHIEF PRAISES TEAM
The boss of the salvage firm who were given the task of rescuing the Ever Given praised workers.
Peter Berdowski, chief executive of Boskalis, said in a statement: “Shortly following the grounding of the Ever Given we were requested through SMIT Salvage to provide assistance with the salvage operation.
“I am excited to announce that our team of experts, working in close collaboration with the Suez Canal Authority, successfully refloated the Ever Given on 29 March at 3.05pm local time, thereby making free passage through the Suez Canal possible again.
“I’m extremely proud of the outstanding job done by the team on site as well as the many SMIT Salvage and Boskalis colleagues back home to complete this challenging operation under the watchful eye of the world.
“The time pressure to complete this operation was evident and unprecedented.”
- Hana Carter
'CLAPS, WHISTLES AND JUBILATION ALL AROUND'
The man known as 'Guy with The Digger At Suez Canal' has tweeted that he was happy and relieved after the Ever Given was freed.
- Hana Carter
EVER GIVEN IS FREE
A Suez Canal service firm says the Ever Given has been set free and is on the move.
- Hana Carter
BREAKING: SUEZ CANAL
Ever Given is finally free. More to come.
- John Hall
UNCLEAR WHEN SUEZ CANAL WILL OPEN TO OTHER BOATS
The mega-ship longer than the Eiffel Tower blocking the Suez Canal has been partially refloated thanks to high tides brought on by a supermoon.
Photos showed the Ever Given had straightened after its stern had swung towards the canal bank.
Yet, it remains unclear when the major trading route will reopen again for the hundreds of others boats waiting to pass through.
Officials said that while the boat has been partially refloated, rescuers were still working to get the ship moving again.
Peter Berdowski, CEO of Dutch firm Boskalis which is helping in the rescue effort, said the front end of the boat still needs to be freed.
He said: “We have movement, which is good news. But I wouldn’t say it’s a piece of cake now.
He added that the most difficult part of the operation was hauling the mammoth boat over the clay of the canal bank.
- John Hall
OIL PRICES FALL AS SHIP REMAINS PARTIALLY STUCK
Oil prices fell today as the Ever Given was partially refloated, raising hopes the waterway would soon be back in action.
Brent oil was down 29 cents, or 0.5%, at $64.28/bbl this morning, according to Hart Energy.
WTI crude in the U.S. fell 55 cents, or 1%, to $60.42/bbl.
“Now that the Suez mini-crisis is being resolved the oil market is left to its own fundamental devices again,” said PVM Oil Associates analyst Tamas Varga.
“Attention will shift back to the stuttering inoculation programs, the seemingly unstoppable rise in infection rates in several parts of the world and the upcoming OPEC meeting on April 1,” he added.
Officials said that while the boat has been partially refloated, rescuers were still working to get the ship moving again.
- John Hall
42 MINUTES AGO
FEARS FOR 130,000 ANIMALS ON SHIPS
Apart from goods, some 130,000 head of livestock on 11 ships sent from Romania have also been held up as a result of Ever Given’s stranding.
“My greatest fear is that animals run out of food and water and they get stuck on the ships because they cannot be unloaded somewhere else for paperwork reasons,” Gerit Weidinger, EU coordinator for NGO Animals International, told The Guardian.
Egypt has sent fodder and three teams of vets to examine livestock stuck at sea – some bound for Jordan.
Sweden’s IKEA said it has 110 containers on the stricken Ever Given and other ships in the pile-up.
“The blockage of the Suez Canal is an additional constraint to an already challenging and volatile situation for global supply chains brought on by the pandemic,” an IKEA spokesperson said.
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