Container ship Ever Given grounds and blocks the Suez Canal
Container ship Ever Given grounds and blocks the Suez Canal. The disruption ran from 2021-03-23 (23 March 2021) to 2021-03-29 (29 March 2021), 7 days, affecting Suez Canal. Suez Canal averaged 16.4 transits per day during the event window against an expected 55.4 (-70.4%). Suez Canal averaged 6.0 transits per day during the event window against an expected 17.1 (-64.9%).
Key facts
- Started
- 2021-03-23 (23 March 2021)
- Ended
- 2021-03-29 (29 March 2021)
- Status
- ended
- Type
- Vessel grounding
- Severity
- 4 Severe
- Scope
- chokepoint
- Chokepoints
- Suez Canal
- Ports
- None
- Lanes
- Asia to North Europe
- Countries
- Egypt
- Confidence
- high: The suspension of navigation and the refloating date come from Suez Canal Authority notices, and the grounding time, position and absence of casualties from the Panama Maritime Authority investigation report.
- First reported
- 2021-03-23 (23 March 2021)
- Casualties (official)
- 0 deaths, 0 injuries, as of 2021-03-23 [s6]
- Severity basis: Complete closure of a chokepoint for any duration; the Suez Canal was shut to transits from 2021-03-23 until 2021-03-29.
What happened
On 2021-03-23 (23 March 2021) the container ship Ever Given grounded on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal at kilometre 151, in the southern section of the waterway, and came to rest across the channel. The vessel was fifth in a northbound convoy and was bound from China to Rotterdam, so the blockage sat on the Asia to North Europe route. Traffic stopped in both directions while the canal authority ran dredging and towing work. The ship was pulled clear on 2021-03-29 (29 March 2021) and taken to the Great Bitter Lake for inspection, and transits restarted the same day. The canal authority said the queue of 422 ships held by the closure finished transiting on 2021-04-03 (3 April 2021). The flag state investigation recorded no deaths or injuries.
Measured effect
Transits, all vessel types, Suez Canal
- Baseline (expected)
- 55.4 transits per day
- Observed
- 16.4 transits per day
- Change
- -39.0 (-70.4%)
- Standardised score
- -4.8
- Event window
- 2021-03-23 to 2021-03-29 (7 days)
- Baseline window
- 2021-01-19 to 2021-03-15 (56 valid days)
- Method
- wfm-effect-1.0
- Computed
- 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026), data revision 1:ede0749f94ad
Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms.
This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.
Transits, container ships, Suez Canal
- Baseline (expected)
- 17.1 transits per day
- Observed
- 6.0 transits per day
- Change
- -11.1 (-64.9%)
- Standardised score
- -2.7
- Event window
- 2021-03-23 to 2021-03-29 (7 days)
- Baseline window
- 2021-01-19 to 2021-03-15 (56 valid days)
- Method
- wfm-effect-1.0
- Computed
- 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026), data revision 1:1fd06450c50d
Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms.
This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.
Timeline
- The Ever Given grounds at kilometre 151 at about 07:40 local time, the flag state investigation later timing it at 07:41. The ship lies across the channel and stops northbound and southbound traffic. [s3] [s6]
- The Suez Canal Authority reports that refloating work is continuing with dredgers and tugs and that navigation through the canal is suspended. [s1]
- The canal authority attributes the grounding to winds of about 40 knots and a sandstorm that cut visibility. [s4]
- The canal authority announces that the vessel has been refloated, with the stern moved away from the bank, and says navigation will resume once the ship is back on course. The vessel is taken to the Great Bitter Lake. [s2]
- The canal authority says the last of the 422 ships held by the closure have completed their transits. [s5]
Cause
The Suez Canal Authority attributed the grounding to winds of about 40 knots and a sandstorm that reduced visibility. The Panama Maritime Authority, as flag state, found the vessel held valid certificates and set out a combination of wind, bank and squat effects, speed and bridge team and pilotage decisions as the sequence leading to the grounding. Attributed by: Suez Canal Authority; Panama Maritime Authority. [s4] [s6]
The cause is disputed.
Resolution
Corrections
No corrections to this record as of 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026).
Sources
- [s1] Suez Canal Authority, Continuing the Floatation Works of the Grounding Vessel in the Suez Canal, published 2021-03-25 (25 March 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)
- [s2] Suez Canal Authority, Successful Refloating of EVER GIVEN, published 2021-03-29 (29 March 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)
- [s3] gCaptain, Grounded 'Mega Ship' Blocking Suez Canal in Both Directions, published 2021-03-23 (23 March 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)
- [s4] FreightWaves, Sandstorm, winds blamed for container ship fiasco in Suez Canal, published 2021-03-26 (26 March 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)
- [s5] Al Jazeera, Suez Canal shipping backlog cleared, published 2021-04-03 (3 April 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)
- [s6] Panama Maritime Authority, Marine Safety Investigation Report: Grounding of MV Ever Given at Suez Canal Egypt on March 23, 2021 (R-026-2021-DIAM), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)