# 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:** 13
**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 26, 2021, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/242 "2021-03-26T09:26:55Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The pictures of the digger next to the huge ship are amazing. It gives a clear perspective of how ridiculously large that ship actually is Yep, they’re the size of skyscrapers. I keep hearing this one described as the size of the Empire State Building. > [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m surprised it was allowed to enter the canel. While the Ever Given is on the larger size of cargo ships these days the “small” ones aren’t that much smaller. It doesn’t matter how big you make the canals these days, there’s some shipbuilder who is going to start making cargo carriers that push the maximum size able to go through through them. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > The big question here is how/why did this happen? The person steering the ship failed to compensate for the crosswind that pushed the ship sideways. Of course, you can drill down deeper than that to try to figure out why that failure to compensate occurred, which may be multi-factorial, but as I’ve said for decades now, all accidents occur due to one or some combination of the following reasons: 1. Things break 2. People make mistakes 3. Only god controls the weather > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Unless we find it is somehow totally not the captain’s fault but the buck stops with them and the company is likely to use them as a scapegoat. If a canal pilot (a guy who specializes in steering ships through the canal) was on board on directing at that point in time it might all land on him. I don’t know if the Suez insists on local pilots, but using specializing locals for navigation of tricky bits of water is a long tradition. I’m sure there will be plenty of blame and costs to go around, of course. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I know there is nothing preventing you from telling us. Saying you were involved with a case is not an attorney/client privilege thing. It is public record. Regardless of the details of the law, I sure as hell don’t want my attorney discussing embarrassing details of my life on an internet message board, and definitely not in a manner that would identify me. I imagine @Princhester’s clients would feel the same. So while I would love the inside info on this or that accident/disaster, I know better than to ask. Also: > [@Princhester](#): > > Whether it’s public record or not depends on whether there was litigation. And there’s client confidentiality issues. Whether the master kept his job is not public record even if my involvement is. > > I would also thoroughly dox myself. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I still think the captain is not a happy camper right now. I expect there are a LOT of unhappy campers right now. Possibly, the only guy happy is the guy being paid to run the digging equipment at the side of the canal. ---
**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, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/243 "2021-03-26T10:06:00Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > The person steering the ship failed to compensate for the crosswind that pushed the ship sideways. Please don’t. You don’t know this. There have been several contradictory things said about cause. You don’t know. Heck I doubt there are more than six people in the world who do know, and they aren’t talking. And even if they are, what they are saying may well have more to do with CYA than reality. Based on my experience the only thing I would place money on is that whatever has been said about cause to this point is inaccurate. ---
**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 26, 2021, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/244 "2021-03-26T10:09:35Z")
You are correct, I don’t know. I really, really should have made it clear I was speculating at best and am willing to change that based on better/more information as it becomes available. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/245 "2021-03-26T11:32:53Z")
I’m also curious how big a hit the insurance (and re-insurance) sector is going to take at the end of this. So many ships affected for so long, and so much blame to pass around…it’s going to be big and messy. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/246 "2021-03-26T11:59:09Z")
I am curious to know if the delayed ships are able to make a claim. They are talking £billions a day now. If they can claim, can J Bloggs and Co claim for lost production and can I claim because my order was delayed and I had to buy from the High Street? ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/247 "2021-03-26T12:15:31Z")
How often are there ANY “incidents” in the Suez canal (e.g. ships running aground - but not blocking traffic, collisions, etc.)? I would say they are very rare, which would mean that in general, the Egyptian pilots are doing a good job. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/248 "2021-03-26T12:32:24Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > How often are there ANY “incidents” in the Suez canal Most of them don’t make the news. According to the [wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Suez_Canal_obstruction): > In the years prior to the incident, numerous ships had run aground in the Suez Canal. > > On 25 February 2016, the bulk carrier New Katerina ran aground in the canal while travelling from Ukraine to Qingdao. New Katerina was refloated after twelve days; traffic in the canal was not affected during this period. On 28 April 2016, the container ship MSC Fabiola ran aground at Great Bitter Lake after experiencing engine problems, forcing canal officials to temporarily suspend all northbound convoys and stop all southbound convoys in the canal. MSC Fabiola was refloated on 30 April, and continued through the canal. On 17 July 2018, the container ship Aeneas ran aground in the canal, resulting in a collision involving the three bulkers behind it: Sakizaya Kalon, Panamax Alexander, and Osios David. Most of these incidents had a relatively minor effect on traffic in the Suez Canal. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/249 "2021-03-26T13:29:17Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > UPS trucks carry large tarp in them and when one gets disabled or in a wreck the first thing a driver is supposed to do – presumably after making the injured are tended to – is to throw it over the truck. Former UPS driver here – we didn’t carry tarps back when I drove, but you’re correct that UPS is frantic to cover their logo following a mishap . I was in a rollover accident and the company’s #1 goal was taping over the UPS lettering. My truck was down a small ravine, and the managers waded through mud to get that tape on. It was important enough that they covered the logos before it was pulled out and righted. After watching a FedEx truck slam into the trapped cars on I-35 this winter, I wonder why any company wants their name in big letters on their vehicles. Seems like more liability than the free advertising is worth. ---
**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 26, 2021, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/250 "2021-03-26T13:37:39Z")
I remember reading that after commercial airliners crash, the airlines send out a crew to paint over the name on the side of the plane. (Assuming they do this early enough, this may be while there are still bodies strewn about.) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/251 "2021-03-26T13:38:52Z")
Ships are now diverting around the Cape of Good Hope, including the _Ever Given_’s sister ship, the _Ever Greet_. > **[Suez: Massive ships now heading towards SA - among them Ever Given's sister...](https://www.businessinsider.co.za/large-container-ships-now-heading-to-sas-direction-2021-3)** > > As the Suez blockage continues, some of the world's largest container ships are shifting course towards the route around South Africa. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/252 "2021-03-26T13:44:19Z")
I heard the same this morning. Also that about 2/3rds of East Coast vessel traffic comes through the Suez. It’s going to be a mess over here pretty soon. On the plus side, companies like mine usually do pretty well when things are messy, as long as the mess isn’t our fault. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/253 "2021-03-26T13:53:42Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > “The canal pilots play music inside the bridge, and there’s a lack of AIS-supported backup,” he said, in reference to the tracking system used on ships. “They connect to it with a computer, but the canal pilots are very over-confident when it comes to navigating by sight. Every time they’re eating food, smoking, talking a lot and asking for bribes which keeps them very busy. Navigation is an art, and if you lose concentration for a second while navigating a narrow channel, it should be investigated.” How does a bribe work under these circumstances? What does paying the bribe get you, and what are the consequences/risks of not paying the bribe? ---
**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 26, 2021, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/254 "2021-03-26T13:55:14Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > what are the consequences/risks of not paying the bribe? That’s a real nice ship you got here Cap’n. Shame if it got sideways in the canal doncha think? ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/255 "2021-03-26T14:01:54Z")
[Another account](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/25/suez-canal-cargo-ship-ever-given-stuck) of a Suez pilot: > [The fee] also included an obligatory “Suez crew”, who joined for the transit and had their own cabin, and a pilot who took control of the ship. This is standard procedure in modern shipping: ships often take on pilots in harbour areas or tricky passages because they have better local knowledge. > > Technically the pilot took command of the bridge, though the pilot we had was too busy eating his way through the entire menu, and dozing, to be particularly commanding. The second officer had to keep waking him up for instructions. ---
**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, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/256 "2021-03-26T14:30:54Z")
Jurisdictional issues make this a very hard question to answer. Broadly, the owner can probably limit its liability under international convention to probably no more than around USD150 million. The vessel probably isn’t worth much more than that anyway and the owner probably has no assets other than the vessel. Then before that you have to overcome various limitations in tort law concerning the extent to which pure economic loss is recoverable from distant third parties. ---
**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, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/257 "2021-03-26T14:33:01Z")
I suspect things can probably happen quickly or slowly… ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/258 "2021-03-26T14:47:36Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > That’s a real nice ship you got here Cap’n. Shame if it got sideways in the canal doncha think? It’s one thing for a local mobster to surreptitiously burn down an uncooperative restaurant in Hoboken. But when you’re the official pilot of record at the time the ship runs aground, and the injured party is not just that ship owner, but the owner of every other delayed vessel, plus the nation of Egypt ('cuz nobody is paying canal tolls until the canal gets opened up again), it all comes down pretty squarely on your head. > [@Princhester](#): > > I suspect things can probably happen quickly or slowly… Where might the delays happen? Wouldn’t the progress of the given vessel need to be in keeping with those ahead/behind it? ---
**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, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/259 "2021-03-26T14:53:02Z")
I don’t know enough detail about a canal transit to answer fully. I know only that those who go through the canal consider being generous to be essential. As you say I don’t think a canal pilot could slow down a vessel’s transit for the reason you give. But he could probably take his sweet time doing his paperwork and getting off the vessel, at the end of the transit. And the next time your vessel transits there might be an unexplained delay in the pilot turning up. And so on. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/260 "2021-03-26T15:01:20Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Regardless of the details of the law, I sure as hell don’t want my attorney discussing embarrassing details of my life on an internet message board, and definitely not in a manner that would identify me No one is asking for that! All that was asked (not by me) was “can you tell of any accidents that I can go find the news articles and read about them”. Nothing priviledged there. It was in the news! Why Princhester was reluctant to say which is because his name probably is all over the news articles. “Atty Princhester of the law firm Princhester, Princhester and Princhester announched today…” I can understand. Like saying “I was an attorney in a murder trial in Los Angeles that made all the news and South Park even made fun of me, but I don’t want to say which trial.” Kinda is obvious who that would be. ---
**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 26, 2021, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/261 "2021-03-26T15:02:33Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > As you say I don’t think a canal pilot could slow down a vessel’s transit for the reason you give. But he could probably take his sweet time doing his paperwork and getting off the vessel, at the end of the transit. And the next time your vessel transits there might be an unexplained delay in the pilot turning up. And so on. I’ve never dealt with Suez transits. But in my dealings with various 3rd world bureaucrats in many countries, that’s pretty much always the answer. You’ll be at the back of the (often invisible) line to be dealt with after lunch. Or at the head of the line to be dealt with now. Your choice and the price for “expedited service” is $20 or whatever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516.md?page=14)