There may be a delay in some deliveries …

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

In respect of a parallel canal, yes there is one but it doesn’t cover the full length of the canal at the moment, the section with the affected grounding is only single, the parallel section to it has yet to be built, so traffic is definitely halted.

Been through the Suez a number of times and every ship transiting has to take on a pilot before entering the canal, so responsibility for the mishap could be joint between the pilot and helmsman.

The canal was closed for a considerable time in 1957 when it was nationalised by Egypt and we went to war over it. I was on one of the first ships to transit when it reopened, there were quite a number of ships that had been blown up and were pulled to the side of the canal to allow ships to start reusing it.

In 1967 as a result of the June 67 war with Israel, the canal was again closed for a considerable time, unfortunately a number of ships were trapped in there. I was in Trucial Oman at the time and a number of parcels that I was waiting for were trapped as well on board ships carrying mail, I never did receive the parcels so who knows where they ended up. Dave W

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Winds on the side of one of those ships could give very little time for anyone to keep the vessel lined up with the canal, even if the bowthrusters were used. It was a sandstorm that caused the grounding. I am surprised that incidents of this nature are not more common.

Looking again at the map shown in the early posts, the ship seems to be located at the southern end of the canal. That is what fooled me, the doubled section is much further north.

Edited By old mart on 25/03/2021 20:36:36

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Recent satellite photos : **LINK**

https://www.space.com/stuck-ship-suez-canal-satellite-photos

MichaelG.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Oldiron on 25/03/2021 10:07:54:

From the reports anyone wpuld think that the canal is totally blocked. This is not so. The ship is stuck in one of the 2 parallel navigation channels. The old route is still open for navigation. There are also a couple of crossover channels between the 2 canals to allow for such incidents. I think that only the biggest of the new super freighters will be held up. As they make up less than 10% of the freighter fleet, the situation is not as bad as portrayed by the sensationalist media.

regards

Yeah but….

We all know how the media hype up any reports but it is an important navigation route.

My first thoughts were of the nationality of the crew ……

 

Like THIS report? Tricky extraction of the occupants, maybe, but that truck was fairly well secured by the trucker (first on the scene?) who used his tie-down chains to hook the truck to his rig. Just compare the size of the dangling truck to the dumper secured (by the same chains) on that artic trailer.

 

Edited By not done it yet on 26/03/2021 07:44:15

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Update:

**LINK**

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-suezcanal-ship-japan-idUKKBN2BI11Q

MichaelG.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 25/03/2021 23:53:34:

Recent satellite photos : **LINK**

https://www.space.com/stuck-ship-suez-canal-satellite-photos

MichaelG.

I was right all the time, and confused by the reports of the second channel being used. It wasn't, that channel is much further north. No wonder I thought that Google earth was out of date, it isn't, the ship is stuck near Suez.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

It’s not going very well … **LINK**

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/refloat-attempt-stranded-mega-vessel-fails-blocking-suez-canal-b926514.html

MichaelG.

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Posted by Oldiron on 25/03/2021 10:07:54:

From the reports anyone wpuld think that the canal is totally blocked. This is not so. The ship is stuck in one of the 2 parallel navigation channels. The old route is still open for navigation. There are also a couple of crossover channels between the 2 canals to allow for such incidents. I think that only the biggest of the new super freighters will be held up. As they make up less than 10% of the freighter fleet, the situation is not as bad as portrayed by the sensationalist media.

regards

It appears that the original reported position of the ship was incorrect. The ship is located in the canal between the Great Bitter Lake and the dualed section so my above statement is not valid. I stand corrected.

regards

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Some of the reports on the web were incorrect as to the location, it is a shame that the southern bit has not yet been dualled, this will certainly get another new section cut very soon.

The ship is only a few miles north of the entrance from the Red Sea.

Edited By old mart on 27/03/2021 16:10:08

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Interesting update [with some great images] from the New York Times: **LINK**

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/27/world/suez-canal-stuck-ship

MichaelG.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 27/03/2021 19:49:58:

Interesting update [with some great images] from the New York Times: **LINK**

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/27/world/suez-canal-stuck-ship

MichaelG.

That is the best link so far, Michael. I notice they are hoping for an 18" increase in water level with the spring tide. Between now and Tuesday, the increase here will be 47", but I live next to the Bristol Channel. This spring high will be 12.7 metres, my house is at 6 metres.

Edited By old mart on 27/03/2021 20:14:03

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

[Henry BrownParticipant @henrybrown95529]

Damn! That's the delivery of JST-XH crimpers I ordered recently gone for a burton then The 3D printer mods will have to wait…

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 25/03/2021 23:53:34:

Recent satellite photos : **LINK**

https://www.space.com/stuck-ship-suez-canal-satellite-photos

MichaelG.

Excellent coverage the other side of the most painful tracker wall I have yet to encounter.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Nah, not uncle Albert, this is the real captain

El Capitano

Edited By duncan webster on 28/03/2021 16:47:53

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Oh no, it's happened in Yorkshire now!

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Progress !!

**LINK**

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/cargo-unloaded-ship-blocking-suez-canal-ever-given-b926688.html

MichaelG.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Smaller vessels are now moving past the ‘refloated’ ship. Inspection of the vessel won’t take too long – if it is not too damaged.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Looks like nature came to help : **LINK**

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14484562/suez-canal-ship-refloated/

… makes a refreshing change !

MichaelG.

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

Posted by Samsaranda on 25/03/2021 19:33:00:

In 1967 as a result of the June 67 war with Israel, the canal was again closed for a considerable time, unfortunately a number of ships were trapped in there. I was in Trucial Oman at the time and a number of parcels that I was waiting for were trapped as well on board ships carrying mail, I never did receive the parcels so who knows where they ended up. Dave W

My dad was on HMS Victorious as it was transiting the Suez Canal on its way to the Med. from Aden as the forces were assembling on either side of the canal. As you can imagine an aircraft carrier in the Suez Canal was a sitting duck if things kicked off. The Captain took it seriously enough to order the ship's crew to all write their wills.

Fortunately, they made it out of the canal unharmed before hostilities began and were safely berthed in Malta chuckling at the newspaper headlines about our boys in peril in the Suez Canal!

The Captain was right to be so concerned. Egypt alleged that planes from HMS Victorious had fought along side the Israelies, making the ship a legitimate target.

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Graham,

It was a similar situation when I transited the canal in 1957, was on a British ship and we had just had a military campaign to retake the canal, albeit unsuccessfully, so very hostile situation. I went to Egypt in 1960, visited Cairo and there was still a coolness to British people. We were warned by our tour guide not to go out after dark alone as very likely to get knifed, such was the strength of feeling then. I would put Egypt at the bottom of my list of favourite countries. Dave W

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

I wonder is the Captain reading "Situations Vacant" ?

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Graham Stoppani on 29/03/2021 09:08:43:

…

My dad was on HMS Victorious as it was transiting the Suez Canal on its way to the Med. from Aden as the forces were assembling on either side of the canal. As you can imagine an aircraft carrier in the Suez Canal was a sitting duck if things kicked off. The Captain took it seriously enough to order the ship's crew to all write their wills.

…

I think I am right in saying that those wills would have been "privileged" in the sense that the normal formalities of execution/witnessing would not have applied.

The question then arises, who is a "sailor" for this purpose and to the headline "typist held a sailor on board ship"!

[Author]

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