The huge 400m-long ship called Ever Given, operated by a Taiwanese company called Evergreen Marine is one of the largest container vessels in the world. Weighing in at 200,000 tonnes it has a maximum capacity of 20,000 containers.

A gust of wind blew the ship off course on Tuesday, causing it to run aground, blocking one of the key waterways in the world, and affecting many other ships.

Blocking one of the world’s busiest trade routes, work is underway to clear the blockage which has created a massive tailback of other ships – more than 160 vessels – which are trying to pass through the canal.

The Suez Canal has long been an important trade route which separates Africa from the Middle East and Asia. As long as it continues the blockage is holding up billions of pounds worth of goods per day.

There is now an effort to refloat the wedged container ship. Read more from the BBC >

Related page: Ocean Freight >