Singapore-flagged cargo ship breakdowns in Egypt's Suez Canal

(MENAFN) On Wednesday, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship named One Orpheus experienced a breakdown in Egypt's Suez Canal, colliding with the Mansi Bridge near the port city of Ismailia. The incident occurred as the ship went off course due to a malfunctioning rudder, according to Adm. Ossama Rabei, the head of the Suez Canal Authority. Although the vessel's mishap did not impede overall canal traffic, it raised concerns as it unfolded in a recently expanded section of the waterway, featuring two separate shipping lanes.

Following the incident, all ships in the affected area shifted to the second, original shipping lane. The Suez Canal Authority later reported that the rudder issue on One Orpheus had been rectified, and the ship had resumed its northbound journey from Singapore to the Netherlands. However, the extent of the damage to the Mansi Bridge remained unclear.

This event marks the latest in a series of accidents in the strategically vital waterway. Over the past few years, the Suez Canal has witnessed multiple incidents where ships either ran aground or suffered breakdowns. Notably, in August, two tankers carrying oil products and liquefied natural gas collided in a single-lane stretch of the canal, causing a brief disruption to traffic. The most significant incident occurred in March 2021 when the Ever Given, a large container ship, became lodged in a single lane, blocking the canal for six days and causing substantial disruptions to global trade.

The Suez Canal, inaugurated in 1869, serves as a critical conduit for oil, natural gas, and cargo, facilitating approximately 10 percent of world trade. It stands as a major source of foreign currency for the Egyptian government. In 2015, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi oversaw a significant expansion of the canal, introducing the second shipping lane to accommodate the world's largest vessels.

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