Singapore-flagged tanker runs aground in Suez Canal

MOSCOW, Sep 1 — PRIME. A Singapore-flagged tanker ran aground in the Suez Canal, Al-Arabiya TV channel reported, citing sources.

Navigation in the Suez Canal was interrupted..

An oil tanker with a carrying capacity of 64,000 tons and a length of 252 meters ran aground in the Suez Canal, which led to the suspension of shipping within the province of Suez.

Soon the tanker was refloated.

“Not so long ago, employees of the Suez Canal Administration managed to refloat a ship in the navigational waters of the Suez Canal. Shipping will resume as usual,” the publication reports.

Technical problems in the steering led to the incident, said the head of the administration of the channel, Usama Rabia.

“The tanker AFFINITY with a displacement of 64,000 tons was successfully refloated, which ran aground … due to a technical malfunction in the steering system,” Rabiya said.

The container ship Ever Given, 400 meters long, heading from China to Rotterdam under the flag of Panama, ran aground on the 151st kilometer of the Suez Canal on March 23, 2021, blocking it for six days and blocking traffic. The ship was refloated on March 29 after several attempts, more than 15 tugs participated in the operation, navigation resumed. The last of the 422 vessels waiting in line due to the incident passed through the canal on 3 April. The head of the administration of the channel, Usama Rabia, said earlier that the investigation into the incident with the container ship Ever Given proved the guilt of the captain alone.