Get All Access for $5/mo

A Giant Container Ship Has Blocked the Suez Canal, And It's Costing $9.6 Billion Worth of Daily Marine Traffic The Ever Given container ship has been grounded since Tuesday.

By Justin Chan Edited by Jessica Thomas

HANDOUT | Getty Images

A large cargo ship that has been grounded in Egypt's Suez Canal since Tuesday is costing $9.6 billion worth of daily marine traffic, according to Bloomberg.

The Ever Given container ship, a 224,000-ton vessel operated by Taiwan-based shipping company Evergreen Marine Corp., found itself wedged across one of the world's busiest waterways earlier this week, after it was caught in 40-knot winds and a sandstorm. The blockage has now left at least 185 ships carrying cargo in a standstill.

Related: 6 International Shipping Mistakes and Ways to Avoid Them

Lloyd's List notes that the backup has impacted westbound traffic by about $5.1 billion a day and eastbound traffic by nearly $4.5 billion.

Of the ships that are now waiting to pass through the waterway, approximately 40 are bulk carriers, 35 are container ships and 32 are general cargo ships, Bloomberg reports. The outlet also points out that 17 of the ships are crude oil tankers and another 17 are chemical or products tankers. Vortexa senior freight analyst Arthur Richier further told Bloomberg that as much as 13 million barrels of crude oil on 10 tankers could be affected by the blockage.

According to AP, the Ever Given was built in 2018 and is one of the largest container ships in the world. At the time of the incident, it was carrying cargo between Asia and Europe. The ship's Japanese owner Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd. has since offered an apology for the inconvenience caused.

"We are determined to keep on working hard to resolve this situation as soon as possible," it said in a statement. "We would like to apologize to all parties affected by this incident, including the ships traveling and planning to travel through Suez Canal."

Justin Chan

Entrepreneur Staff

News Writer

Justin Chan is a news writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, he was a trending news editor at Verizon Media, where he covered entrepreneurship, lifestyle, pop culture, and tech. He was also an assistant web editor at Architectural Record, where he wrote on architecture, travel, and design. Chan has additionally written for Forbes, Reader's Digest, Time Out New YorkHuffPost, Complex, and Mic. He is a 2013 graduate of Columbia Journalism School, where he studied magazine journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @jchan1109.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

These Companies Offer the Best Work-Life Balance, According to Employees

The ranking is based on Glassdoor ratings and reviews.

Leadership

Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place

Using fractional AI experts through specialized platforms allows companies to access top talent cost-effectively, drive innovation and scale agile strategies for growth.

Science & Technology

Use This Framework to Successfully Integrate AI Into Your Business Operations

Here's how to ensure both innovation and compliance when using AI in your organization.

Growing a Business

5 Effective Strategies to Boost Your Business's Online Presence

Boosting your online presence in 2025 is the key to success for businesses looking to grow. Working on your branding and reputation management is important to drive more sales and improve conversion.