# Breaking News: Suez Canal blocked by a mega-sized container vessel \[Cleared\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 23, 2021, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516 "2021-03-23T21:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/182 "2021-03-25T18:51:51Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > One thing that confuses me is that I’ve seen reports that the ship is owned by a Japanese company. Evergreen is a Taiwanese company. I think the Japanese company is the one that’s been hired to uncluster the fuck. An executive was apologizing for how long it would take. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/183 "2021-03-25T19:01:23Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I wonder if food is an issue, too. There may be only enough food meant for the intended voyage, and not enough for the crew to eat during the extended backlog wait PLUS the remainder of the voyage. The Suez Canal was closed for _eight years_ because of the Six-day War trapping fifteen cargo ships in mid-transit. Some were stripped of their crews – leaving the keys under the mat I imagine – but some kept a skeleton crew on, rotating them in and out of the stationary vessel. It’s a canal with the banks nearby; there should be no problem keeping the crew provisioned for a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/184 "2021-03-25T19:06:04Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I worked for Hapag-Lloyd a lifetime ago. Most of our ships had German officers and Filipino crew. The Ever Given has an Indian crew but I haven’t seen who the officers are. There were two Egyptian pilots on board so they were most likely doing the actual steering. One thing that confuses me is that I’ve seen reports that the ship is owned by a Japanese company. Evergreen is a Taiwanese company. I have no idea what kind of business arrangement that is. I wasn’t involved in that part of the business. I don’t think it’s so weird that the operating company is Taiwanese but the ship owner is Japanese (and the crew Indian). I think that’s common, even in other business fields. A hotel building can be owned by one company, operated by another and branded by a third. And aren’t there leasing companies that own commercial jets while they’re operated by the airliners? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/185 "2021-03-25T19:09:06Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And aren’t there leasing companies that own commercial jets while they’re operated by the airliners? Yep. The leasing companies own a little less than half the commercial airliner fleet. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/186 "2021-03-25T19:14:32Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And aren’t there leasing companies that own commercial jets while they’re operated by the airliners? Yeah. It could get more interesting. GE used to make airplane engines, then sell them to Boeing/Airbus, then buy many of the airplanes back and lease them out (they used to be largest lessors). They also had to buy engine maintenance contracts from GE for their Insurance to work. Insurance was sold by another arm of GE 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/187 "2021-03-25T19:31:19Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > I got curious about this route - eyeballing it, it looks to me like the distance between (say) Hamburg, Germany and Perth, Australia is not that different whether you go through the Suez Canal, or round the Cape of Good Hope. The distance isn’t that great a difference but the weather certainly is! The Cape of Good Hope was originally called the Cape of Storms. [Here is some more information on it.](https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145476/the-cape-of-good-hope). The route through the Suez canal isn’t just shorter, it’s also arguably safer as well. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/188 "2021-03-25T19:34:17Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > It’s blowing my mind that the Suez canal is just a big ditch. I guess I had never seen any pictures of it. I was expecting something more like the panama canal. It’s blowing my mind we can get a picture from space of this thing. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/189 "2021-03-25T20:10:06Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > I haven’t seen this pic posted. If I missed it, my bad. > > [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/a/PHQNO5U) “So, the good news is, we’ve started operations to clear the canal…” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/190 "2021-03-25T20:19:09Z")
> [@am77494](#): > > Yeah. It could get more interesting. GE used to make airplane engines, then sell them to Boeing/Airbus, then buy many of the airplanes back and lease them out (they used to be largest lessors). They also had to buy engine maintenance contracts from GE for their Insurance to work. Insurance was sold by another arm of GE 🙂 Continuing this hijack. GE just sold their aircraft leasing arm GECAS to AerCap. If the deal passes regulatory scrutiny and goes through that will make AerCap by far the largest lessor in the industry and a real 600# Gorilla. Both Boeing and Airbus are concerned about getting into a situation like with the DoD and military procurement, where their customer is bigger and badder than they are. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/191 "2021-03-25T20:34:48Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Both Boeing and Airbus are concerned about getting into a situation like with the DoD and military procurement, where their customer is bigger and badder than they are. I don’t approve of gigantic mergers creating near-monopolies, either, but it’s rather ironic that Boeing and Airbus, just like all the carmakers, have exactly that relationship with most of their suppliers, who are absolutely dwarfed by the bigness and badness of their one or two mighty customers. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/192 "2021-03-25T20:36:46Z")
Yup. The irony be schweeet! ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/193 "2021-03-25T20:41:30Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > One thing that confuses me is that I’ve seen reports that the ship is owned by a Japanese company. Evergreen is a Taiwanese company. > > I think the Japanese company is the one that’s been hired to uncluster the fuck. An executive was apologizing for how long it would take. There’s a Japanese salvage company involved, but also, the ship is in fact owned by a Japanese company: “The Ever Given is owned by Japanese shipping company Shoei Kisen KK, Toshiaki Fujiawara, the senior managing director of the company confirmed to CNN.” I’m not sure of the relationship to Evergreen, but it appears that Evergreen Marine chartered the ship. Another unrelated thing I just read: pumping out fuel and any water ballast would be a bad idea because it would leave the ship top-heavy. If it needs to be lightened, there is probably little choice but to start removing containers from the top. And that’s where the time to free the ship turns into weeks instead of days. Containers are normally unloaded by gigantic fixed cranes. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/194 "2021-03-25T20:58:43Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > (Yes, I know this would be a logistical nightmare even if the infrastructure was in place. But it’s a fun idea.) The canal redevelopment including building a new port city. The Egyptians were hoping/pretending that, since ships are going through anyway, the canal area could be a logistics hub. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/195 "2021-03-25T21:01:08Z")
> [@am77494](#): > > Insurance was sold by another arm of GE 🙂 When I was in finance, it was understood that GE was a finance company. They owned some legacy stuff in the engineering area. I never looked to see if that was actually a true description or not. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/196 "2021-03-25T21:03:47Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The Ever Green is bound. Bound tight, whoever had it chartered. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/197 "2021-03-25T21:30:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I wonder how many fake internet stores will use this incident as an excuse for “late”(aka nonexistent) shipments? Today I got an email from Amazon telling me a product I ordered 2 days ago that should have arrived today is delayed in shipping. The product is made in the USA of all USA components. There have to be pallets of the stuff laying around Amazon warehouses all over the US. But my first thought was “That damn Ever Given is corking up my delivery. Or at least Amazon will try to blame them for it.” I blame _you_ for that idea being top of mind. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/198 "2021-03-25T23:17:52Z")
I forgot to mention that the entire load of toilet paper was ruined because we were having a heavy thunderstorm at the time. The latest rumor about the ship: It’s part of Hillary Clinton’s child-trafficking network. (headdesk) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/199 "2021-03-25T23:19:12Z")
I heard on NPR that some people proposed offloading some of the containers. It might take an awful lot if they want to reduce its tonnage enough to lift it off the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/200 "2021-03-25T23:21:57Z")
I was also surprised that it didn’t have locks. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/201 "2021-03-26T00:40:50Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > “The Ever Given is owned by Japanese shipping company Shoei Kisen KK, Toshiaki Fujiawara, the senior managing director of the company confirmed to CNN.” I’m not sure of the relationship to Evergreen, but it appears that Evergreen Marine chartered the ship. It’s relatively uncommon for container lines or indeed any customer facing international shipping company to own ships (or own all the ships it uses). Selling container space vs actually owning and operating ships don’t necessarily involve the same skillset. Right now, Evergreen’s practice of putting “EVERGREEN” in huge letters on the side of ships it charters is looking uncomfortable. The oil majors used to call their ships something with their name in (Shell Whatever, Exxon Valdez etc). I don’t think _any_ of them do that any more. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516.md?page=11)