After almost a week, shipping along Egypt’s Suez Canal resumed on 29 March (Monday) after tugs refloated the giant container ship that had run aground diagonally across the single lane stretch of the southern canal during a dust storm, thereby choking the traffic in both directions, along the canal.
According to media reports, rescue workers from the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) working in tandem with a team from Dutch firm Smit Salvage, reportedly, partially refloated the ship and straightened it even as after several hours the massive ship shifted briefly back across the canal after which tugs, reportedly, helped manoeuvre the ship free as tide changed.
It may be mentioned here that apparel exporters in Bangladesh have been apprehending severe business implications as shipping in one of the world’s most vital routes and also the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia came to standstill as the massive 400-metre-long ship ran aground.
Earlier, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) had expressed fears of supply chain disruption (for both exports and imports) due to the delay caused by the blockage even as the Vice-President of the trade body, AM Chowdhury Selim, while interacting with the media, underlined, “Europe is one of the major destinations for Bangladeshi apparel products; the canal blockage will cause great losses,” and went on to add, “Huge exported goods from Bangladesh have been stuck on the vessels, many shipments will not reach on time, affecting lead time of the export cargo and buyers will demand discounts, causing a loss for us….”
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
