Suez Canal: Two Tankers Collided at Key Trade Waterway in Egypt – News18

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Last Updated: August 23, 2023, 07:54 IST

Approximately 12% of the world’s trade moves through Egypt’s Suez Canal. During strong winds in 2021, a huge container ship, the Ever Given, became jammed across it, halting traffic in both directions for six days and disrupting global trade. (Reuters)

Two tankers collide briefly in Egypt’s Suez Canal. BW Lesmes and Burri accidents. Shipping news, global trade impact, Suez Canal Authority update

Two tankers, the Singapore-flagged BW Lesmes and Cayman Islands-flagged Burri, briefly collided in Egypt’s Suez Canal, ship tracking company MarineTraffic said early on Wednesday, citing eyewitnesses.

The shipping tracker showed the BW Lesmes, which carries LNG, stopped and pointing north, and Burri, an oil products tanker, moored and pointing south about 19 km from the southern end of the canal at 2:55 a.m.(2355 GMT).

LNG tanker BW Lesmes will be towed away to the Suez anchorage area, shipping sources told Reuters. A time-lapse shared by MarineTraffic showed Burri turning sideways and colliding with an already sideways BW Lesmes at 2040 GMT before backing up and pointing straight.

The last port call for both ships had been Port Said to the north. There was no immediate confirmation from the Suez Canal Authority.

Approximately 12% of the world’s trade moves through the canal. During strong winds in 2021, a huge container ship, the Ever Given, became jammed across it, halting traffic in both directions for six days and disrupting global trade.

Since then, there have been minor issues caused by technical problems with individual ships.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Reuters)