Tugboats have refloated a large vessel that had been stranded for several hours in the Suez Canal, shipping agent Leth Agencies said on Thursday, allowing one of the world’s busiest waterways to return to normal.Leth has identified the vessel as the 190-metre (623 ft) Xin Hai Tong 23, a bulk carrier. “The Suez Canal Authority successfully refloated the Xin Hai Tong 23 at 07:40. The northbound convoy will enter at 09:30,” Leth Agencies said in a tweet. In a statement, canal authorities said they had been informed of an engine malfunction and deployed tugs to successfully refloat the vessel. The process was briefly delayed by the failure of the ship’s winch, they added. precaution”. Leth previously tweeted that the ship ran aground at 4 a.m. local time, disrupting at least two ship convoys.
Refinitiv Eikon shipping data had shown the vessel, which sails under the flag of Hong Kong, was “not under command” near the southern end of the canal. It was initially positioned at an angle with its stern abutting the east side of the canal, but the ship appeared to have been moved to the center and pointed south. Trackers showed three Egyptian tugs circling the vessel. The vessel came from the port of Dhuba in Saudi Arabia. It is owned by Xiang B12 HK International Ship Lease and managed by Tosco Keymax International Ship Management. About 12% of world trade passes through the Suez Canal, the shortest sea route between Europe and Asia. During high winds in 2021, a massive container ship, the Ever Given, became stuck in the Suez Canal, halting traffic in both directions for six days and disrupting global trade. tugs bailed out an oil tanker that briefly ran aground in the canal following a technical failure of its rudder, while the failure of a container ship in the canal caused minor delays in March.