Suez Canal to resume normal traffic following collision
Normal traffic is anticipated to resume through the Suez Canal within the next few hours, as stated by the head of the canal authority on Wednesday, after two vessels collided.
The chairman of the authority, Osama Rabie, clarified that a "slight contact" occurred due to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier BW Lesmes abruptly halting because of a technical malfunction, which coincided with a strong current propelling the oil tanker Burri towards it.
To address the situation, tugboats were dispatched by the canal authority to reposition both vessels.
The Singapore-flagged BW Lesmes has been successfully towed outside the waterway, Rabie confirmed. Meanwhile, the Cayman Islands-flagged Burri was observed nearing the southern end of the canal as of 12:00 pm local time, according to the ship tracking system, MarineTraffic.
According to Rabie, the north convoy of the canal will recommence once Burri is fully towed.
BW LNG AS, operators of BW Lesmes, reported that the vessel ran aground while traveling southbound through the Suez Canal at around 21:35 (1835 GMT) on Tuesday, as mentioned in a statement by BW Group.
Despite the low-speed collision, the operational capabilities of the vessel were unaffected, and it "remains structurally sound," the statement noted.
BW Lesmes was successfully refloated at 03:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday and is set to undergo further inspections at the Suez anchorage.
The chairman of the Suez Canal mentioned that there seemed to be no significant damage or pollution caused by the incident. However, it was revealed that Burri had experienced a steering failure, necessitating repair.
TMS Tankers, the entity responsible for managing Burri, did not provide a response to requests for comment.
The Suez Canal stands as one of the world's busiest waterways and serves as the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia.
Approximately 12% of the world's trade flows through this canal. Notably, in 2021, during adverse weather conditions, a massive container ship named the Ever Given became wedged across the canal, resulting in a six-day disruption of traffic in both directions and a consequential disturbance in global trade.
