A Hong Kong-flagged ship briefly ran aground in Egypt’s Suez Canal – momentarily disrupting the vital waterway.
The Xin Hai Tong 23 got into trouble at the southern mouth of the canal on Thursday, tracking data showed.
Leth Agencies, which oversees traffic in the canal, acknowledged the grounding.
More than two hours later, Leth said it was able to refloat the stricken vessel.
Egyptian authorities did not immediately acknowledge the ship running aground.
M/V XIN HAI TONG 23 has grounded in the Suez Canal at KM 159/0400 hrs - leaving behind 4 vessels from the early convoy in addition to the ordinary group which was planned to enter Suez Canal at about 0600 hrs.
Suez Canal tugs are currently trying to re-float the vessel.— Leth (@AgenciesLeth) May 25, 2023
It was not immediately clear what effect the grounding would have on traffic in the canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.
But tracking data showed no shipping vessels moving around that area of the canal when the ship was stuck.
Tracking data showed the vessel, describing its condition as “not under command”.
Tug boats surrounded it to get it refloated.
The Suez Canal Authority has successfully refloated M/V XIN HAI TONG 23 at 0740hrs.
The northbound convoy will enter at 0930hrs. https://t.co/r2aGSALXE0— Leth (@AgenciesLeth) May 25, 2023
The ship is a bulk carrier, which typically carries cargo.
The ship measures some 190 meters (625 feet) by 32 meters (105 feet).
The Ever Given, a colossal container ship that crashed into a bank on a single-lane stretch of the canal in March 2021, blocking the waterway, was bigger.
A massive salvage effort by a flotilla of tugboats, helped by the tides, freed the skyscraper-sized vessel six days later, ending the crisis and allowing hundreds of waiting ships to pass through the canal.
