Vessel ran aground in Suez Canal but vessel movement remains normal

The Liberia-flagged MSC Istanbul, heading to Portugal from Malaysia, got stuck in a two-lane part of the Suez Canal

A cargo vessel ran aground in the Suez Canal on March 5th, but traffic through the global waterway was not impacted, Egyptian authorities said.

The Liberia-flagged MSC Istanbul, heading to Portugal from Malaysia, got stuck in a two-lane part of the Suez Canal, a spokesman of the Suez Canal Authority was quoted by International media reports.

Tugboats were deployed to help refloat the vessel.

Despite the situation, convoys were transiting through the waterway without any problems. The spokesperson did not elaborate on what had caused the ship to run aground.

The Suez Canal allows for the passage of two convoys of vessels a day in both directions. After a five-hour effort, the MSC Istanbul was refloated.

Built-in 2015 and operated by the Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Company, the MSC Istanbul is 399 meters (1,309 feet) long and 54 meters (177 feet) wide, according to Marine Traffic, a vessel tracking firm.

The incident involving MSC Istanbul was the latest case of a vessel reported stuck in the key global waterway. A tanker transporting liquefied natural gas broke down in the canal last month, also without impacting traffic. In January, a cargo ship carrying corn went aground before being refloated; after a while, traffic through the waterway was restored.

The canal, opened in 1869, provides a crucial link for oil, natural gas and cargo. About 10% of world trade flows through the canal, a major source of foreign currency for Egypt. According to the Suez Canal Authority, last year, 23,851 vessels passed through the waterway, compared to 20,649 vessels in 2021. The revenue from the canal in 2022 reached $8 billion, the highest in the Suez Canal’s history.