World

Vessels Stuck at Suez Canal May Take Cape of Good Hope Detour

Friday, March 26, 2021 at 12:43 PM by Reeshni Chetty

- A massive ship stuck across the Suez Canal has created a large backlog of vessels waiting to pass

- Reports say that more than 150 vessels are waiting to resume their journeys but it is unclear when this may be possible

- Many companies are considering alternative routes such as passing by the Cape of Good Hope

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The Evergreen ship that is stuck in the Suez Canal and causing massive tailbacks has still not been dislodged. Reports say that more than 150 other vessels stuck have been considering alternative routes.

One of the routes is around the Cape of Good Hope, however, it is a total distance of around 24 000km which will take two weeks longer than going through the Suez Canal, making it approximately 41 days of travel time.

The extra costs of the trip are phenomenal, reports say it could cost more than R7 million to go around the Cape of Good Hope.

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Ships stuck at Suez Canal to take detour around Cape of Good Hope — Vessels stuck around the Suez Canal have been considering taking alternative routes. Image: Roscosmos Press Office/TASS
Source: Getty Images

According to the BBC, the 400m-long vessel became stuck across the canal after high winds and a dust storm. Currently, the captain is working with salvage experts and the Suez Canal Authority to create an effective plan to dislodge and refloat the large vessel.

An estimated 12% of worldwide trade passes through the Suez Canal as it is the shortest sea link between Europe and Asia. A number of vessels are waiting to start their journeys again and there is uncertainty surrounding the situation as it is unclear when the ship will be freed.

Business Insider reported that as of Thursday, 25 March, efforts to dislodge the ship from the sides of the Canal proved unsuccessful. Experts believe the process may take weeks but there is no given time-frame.

In other international news, Briefly.co.za reported that Boeing has asked airlines across the globe to ground 777s. Boeing announced the measure early on Monday, 22 February.