Suez Canal traffic jam caused by stuck ship cleared

The last ships stranded by the giant container vessel that was stuck in the Suez Canal have now passed through the waterway, the canal authorities say.

More than 400 vessels were left waiting at either end of the canal when the 400m-long Ever Given became wedged across it on 23 March.

But Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority says the shipping traffic jam is now over.

Officials have opened an investigation into the incident and expect to made their findings public early next week.

The results could have major legal repercussions, as various parties seek to recoup the costs of the repairs to the ship and the canal, as well as the salvage operation.

About 12% of global trade passes through the 193km (120-mile) canal, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea and provides the shortest sea link between Asia and Europe.

The 220,000-tonne Ever Given was finally freed last Monday after a major salvage operation involving a flotilla of powerful tug boats and dredging vessels that shifted an estimated 30,000 cubic metres (1.1m cubic ft) of mud and sand.

The operation allowed hundreds of ships, carrying millions of tons of cargo, to start moving through the waterway.