Egypt announced that the Panamanian container ship has been successfully re-floated, according to Admiral Osama Rabie, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority.
This was the result of successful push and tow maneuvers which led to the restoration of 80 percent of the vessel’s direction; with the stern 102 metres away from the bank of the Canal now instead of 4 metres prior to the refloating, he added.
According to Official Spokesperson, George Safwat, Suez Canal Authority; the operation to free the rest of the ship will resume when the water level rises in the late morning.
If the tugboats are unable to wrest the ship free that they would try to direct water underneath the bow using dredging equipment.
Navigation shall be resumed immediately upon the complete restoration of the vessel’s direction and directing it to the Bitter Lakes waiting area for technical inspection, Rabie also noted.
