Aframax tanker refloated after breakdown in Egypt’s Suez Canal

Aframax tanker refloated after breakdown in Egypt’s Suez Canal

An oil tanker, which was briefly stranded in Egyptق€™s Suez Canal late on Wednesday due to a technical fault, is seen after tug boats refloated it in this handout image released on Thursday by The Suez Canal Authority (SCA). The incident occurred in the same single-lane stretch of the canal where a giant cargo ship, the Ever Given, ran aground in March 2021 and was stuck for six days, disrupting global trade.



Reuters / Cairo

Tug boats refloated an oil tanker that was briefly stranded in Egypt’s Suez Canal late on Wednesday after to a technical fault with its rudder, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said.

The 252 metre (827-foot) vessel, Affinity V, had drifted to obstruct the southern section of the canal while travelling in a southbound convoy of ships around 1700 GMT, shipping and canal sources said.

SCA sources said shortly after 2200GMT that traffic had returned to normal.

The incident occurred in the same single-lane stretch of the canal where a giant cargo ship, the Ever Given, ran aground in March 2021 and was stuck for six days, disrupting global trade.

According to ship monitoring service TankerTrackers, the Aframax tanker Affinity V seemed to have lost control while heading south.

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