The skyscraper-sized container ship that has been stuck in the Suez Canal for almost a week was finally freed on Monday, with the vessel starting to move north following a dramatic rescue mission to reopen one of the world’s main trade arteries.
Tugboats involved in the rescue sounded their horns as the bow of the Ever Given container ship was released from the eastern canal bank shortly after 2pm London time on Monday. Leth Agencies, a transit agent in the Suez Canal, said the vessel was moving north to the Great Bitter Lake portion of the Suez Canal.
Boskalis, the Dutch company fronting the rescue of the ship, had earlier warned there was only a 70 per cent chance of freeing the vessel this week after the stern of the ship was moved overnight, cautioning that it was still badly stuck.