In March 2021, the Suez Canal, one of the world's most important trading routes, was blocked for six days after the accidental grounding of Ever Given, a Golden-class container ship. The 400-metre-long (1,300 ft) vessel had been buffeted on 23 March by strong winds, knocking it off course according to the company Egyptian authorities subsequently stated this may not have been the only reason for the grounding, and that "there may have been technical or human errors" as well. The ship ran aground on one of the canal's banks, obstructing the canal and preventing other vessels from passing through. The obstruction was south of the section of the canal that has two channels, so there was no way for other ships to bypass Ever Given.
The obstruction had a significant impact on other shipping, with at least 369 ships queueing to pass through the canal on 28 March. On 29 March, the vessel was partially re-floated and "reorientated 80 percent in the right direction" although the "bow remained stuck". The ship was finally freed that afternoon, at 15:05 local time (13:05 UTC), and started moving, under tow, towards the Great Bitter Lake, for technical inspection. The canal was checked for damage before it could be reopened. The Suez Canal Authority informed shipping agencies that shipping could resume from 19:00 local time (17:00 UTC).
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