A failure of machinery, human error or natural events — high winds and reduced visibility – may have caused Ever Given to run ashore in the Suez Canal, writes Salvatore R. Mercogliano. But its impact will resonate far from its banks as it has blocked the jugular of one of the largest trade routes in human history.
This is not a story you hear every day; maritime logistics do not cross most people’s minds often, let alone wind up in the national news. But they are nonetheless pivotal to global trade. This story provides a stark reminder of the tenuous nature of our maritime global supply chain and the dangers to maritime choke points. The closure of the Suez Canal has massive ramifications. Every day,3.3 million tons of cargo traverse this waterway. On average,50 ships arrive at the ports waiting to embark on their day-long passage. As Ever Given remains firmly across the canal, shipping companies will have to fathom the option of sending ships around Africa, adding as much as two weeks to their journey. All of this means a slow down in the delivery of goods, fuel and essential material between Asia and Europe. Factories depending on parts from Asia may have to close, and essential goods and products to battle Covid-19 may be inaccessible. Fuel prices, already high in Europe, could further increase. A failure of machinery, human error or natural events — high winds and reduced visibility — may have caused Ever Given to run ashore in the Suez Canal. But its impact will resonate far from its banks as it has blocked the jugular of one of the largest trade routes in human history.
