Suez Canal blockage illustrates vulnerabilities of key waterway

Published March 29, 2021 7:06pm ET



The massive container ship Ever Given was refloated in the Suez Canal Monday morning after the high tide from a full moon added a needed finishing touch to five days of dredging and tugging by an ever-increasing fleet of tugboats.

The ship ran aground last Thursday in the narrow waterway after it was struck by strong winds, which forced it into the shallow banks of the canal, effectively blocking a vital route of world commerce. About 70% of the world’s oil and well over 10% of the world’s commerce pass through the Suez Canal.

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