A giant container ship is currently making rounds online and if you have been active on social media, you’ll be aware of the reason behind it.
For the uninitiated, the massive cargo ship ‘Ever Given’ was on its way to Rotterdam from China before it ran aground on Egypt’s Suez Canal blocking traffic on one of the world’s busiest trade routes linking Asia with Europe.
The Suez Canal, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world, is reportedly blocked because someone accidentally got stuck with their giant container ship. The photo is unreal. pic.twitter.com/I2ACkBqPi2
— Marcel Dirsus (@marceldirsus) March 23, 2021
According to Hindustan Times, the rear of the ship got stuck into the canal wall, after a sudden strong rush of wind swept the dust around, knocking one of the biggest container ships in the world off its course. It reportedly has a crew of 25 Indian nationals.
BREAKING: HMS Sinky is on its way to the #Suez canal to assist with the removal of the giant container ship currently stuck and blocking the canal. HMS Sinky will use a semi-nuclear torpedo to vaporise the blockage. pic.twitter.com/6mCS4QDqoo
— RAF_Luton (@RAF_Luton) March 24, 2021
Efforts are being made to remove the giant vessel and unclog the traffic. And amidst all that, an image of a tiny bulldozer trying to free the ship has stirred meme-fest online.
What is happing in #SuezCanal today explained.#Egypt
pic.twitter.com/T06bFDGQ7q— Zaina Erhaim (@ZainaErhaim) March 24, 2021
Take a look:
The only thing funnier than the #Suez canal being blocked is the singular digger trying to get it un stuck pic.twitter.com/v2xks1H4f5
— Nonsense (@somuchnonsensee) March 25, 2021
They got memes now. Lol#SuezBLOCKED pic.twitter.com/1ZRANttueJ
— Chrissy B 🍀 (@Kivrin1978) March 26, 2021
The excavator at Suez today, reminds me of my life…#evergiven #suez #mylife pic.twitter.com/H92hbX4fGV
— DeepCool (@Deepcoolglobal) March 24, 2021
— Deeba Shadnia (@deebashadnia) March 24, 2021
Accurate #Suez pic.twitter.com/P2r6vqtxB5
— Anand ആനന്ദ് आनंद (@bombaymalayali) March 25, 2021
— jeremy poxon (@JeremyPoxon) March 25, 2021
This food cant satisfy my needs 😂#SuezBLOCKED #MEMES pic.twitter.com/PY1Hh8dMvg
— funrreal (@funrreal) March 25, 2021
When you feel stressed at work, take a look at this tiny excavator. The burden of dredging the route between Asia and Europe rests squarely on its shoulders. #EVERGIVEN #suezcanal pic.twitter.com/mCoehqgOxc
— Vsy (@vsy) March 24, 2021
— Anton Hilado (@anton_hilado) March 24, 2021
— Nasri Atallah • نصري عطاالله (@NasriAtallah) March 24, 2021
Evergreen pic.twitter.com/QX33cgM6tC
— RedPen-kinases-BlackPen (@redpenblackpen) March 24, 2021
— John Cole (@Johngcole) March 25, 2021
I'm sorry but this had to be done.#Evergreen pic.twitter.com/L74uq1TEVO
— Daniel Foubert (@d_foubert) March 24, 2021
Never has an image summed up my life more adequately:#Suez pic.twitter.com/CEwoKuSZvc
— Saad (@SaaddestAli) March 25, 2021
Did anyone else notice the containers spell out LOL? #Suez #suezcanel #EVERGIVEN #evergreen pic.twitter.com/BIoUMamFLv
— Pzyko Claus (@pzykosiz) March 25, 2021
Peter Berdowski, chief executive officer of Royal Boskalis Westminster, the parent company of the team hired to help move the vessel said that it can take weeks to remove the vessel.
“It is like an enormous beached whale. It’s an enormous weight on the sand. We might have to work with a combination of reducing the weight by removing containers, oil and water from the ship, tug boats, and dredging of sand,” Berdowski said.
Scores of loaded ships have reportedly lined behind ‘Ever Given’, making it one of the worst shipping jams that happened in years.
Looks like this blockage will cost the industry billions of dollars. But at least we have these memes to keep our anxiety at bay.