Salvage crews have freed the container ship Ever Given from the shore, reopening the Suez Canal after it was blocked for nearly a week.
The Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal Tuesday, March 23. The ship is one of the biggest container vessels in the world, coming in at over 1,300 feet long and nearly 192 feet wide. The ship can carry over 20,000 containers.
Once the ship ran aground, 372 ships were were unable to pass, according to Lloyd’s List, resulting in a significant impact to the global economy. Roughly 12% of maritime trade passes through the canal, equaling an estimated $9 billion in goods every day.
Given the amount of trade and goods passing through the canal, experts said the incident would have ripple effects throughout the economy for months. Some even said it could impact virtually everything sold in stores.
It’s still unclear if the Ever Given will be able to resume its scheduled deliveries. When the ship was stuck, it had pressure on its bow and stern, leaving the middle section to sag. Since ships weren’t designed to take that kind of pressure, there was concern the hull would crack. Early inspections indicated that didn’t happen, but the ship still has to pass a final inspection now that it’s free.