Disaster Register

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Grounding, reopening and backlog records for the Suez Canal in March 2021

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The March blockage and the return of trafficGrounding, reopening and backlog records for the Suez Canal in March 2021
  1. 23 March 2021
    The Ever Given grounding began the blockage.

    Source 1

  2. 26 March 2021
    The canal authority reported that dislodging efforts continued.

    Source 2

  3. 29 March 2021
    The authority reported refloating. The canal reopened in both directions after successful refloating.

    Source 3

  4. 31 March 2021
    The authority reported full-capacity, around-the-clock operation.

    Source 4

  5. Within four days of refloating
    The authority says it cleared 422 waiting ships at more than 100 passages a day.

    Source 5

The canal could reopen before the waiting queue was cleared.

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5 Source 6

Grounding, reopening and backlog records for the Suez Canal in March 2021

The timeline distinguishes refloating reports, reopening in both directions and clearing the waiting queue. The 422 count is the authority’s retrospective tally of waiting ships.

6 records
Source
23 March 2021Blockage beganGrounding date in UNCTAD’s maritime transport reportSource 1
26 March 2021Dislodging efforts continuedCanal authority’s operational updateSource 2
29 March 2021Refloating progress reportedAuthority reported the stern 102 metres from the bank, up from four metresSource 3
31 March 2021Full-capacity operation reportedAuthority said navigation was back in both directionsSource 4
Fewer than four days after refloating422 waiting ships passed throughRetrospective count from the canal authority, covering queues at both entrancesSource 5
7 April 2021Salvage resources describedAuthority reported two of its dredgers, 15 of its tugs and nearly 600 of its workersSource 6

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