JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - Traffic of cargo vessels through Egypt's Suez Canal continues to be blocked for the third day as a large container ship that ran aground in the southern end of the Canal remains stuck.
Panama-registered ship Ever Given, sailing to the Dutch port of Rotterdam, ran aground after being affected by a stand storm and strong winds before entering the Mediterranean at about 7:40 a.m. local time Tuesday.
The huge vessel with a capacity to carry 20000 containers is fully-loaded.
A salvage operations company reportedly said it was impossible to free the ship with its current cargo on board.
Satellite map shows the ship is still stuck, with tug boats trying to move it.
Shipping experts were quoted as saying that operations to free the 224,000-ton ship may take several days or even weeks.
Meanwhile, an update from marine services firm GAC said, 'According to information from the Suez Canal Authority, the grounded vessel has been partially refloated and is now alongside the Canal bank. Convoys and traffic are expected to resume as soon as vessel is towed to another position.
The traffic jam caused by the accident in one of the world's most important and busy waterways has worsened, with dozens of large container ships, tankers carrying oil and gas, and bulk vessels carrying grain have been held up at either end of the Suez canal.
AFP reported that more than a hundred ships have been waiting to enter the canal.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX