In Egypt’s Suez Canal, shipping operations have resumed as normal following a brief collision between two tankers. The incident involved the Singapore-flagged liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier BW Lesmes and the Cayman Islands-flagged oil products tanker Burri. The collision was reported by MarineTraffic, a ship tracking company, which cited eyewitness accounts.
Details about the specifics of the incident remain limited. A post on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, cited Suez Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie. He mentioned a ship breakdown within the navigation course and stated towing efforts were underway, though he did not elaborate further.
Tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon at 5am (02:00 GMT) showed the BW Lesmes being towed southward by two tugboats, despite facing north. Concurrently, the Burri was found moored and oriented south, approximately 12km (7.5 miles) from the canal’s southern end. A time-lapse from MarineTraffic depicted the Burri turning and colliding with the BW Lesmes, which was already sideways, before readjusting its position.
Neither BW Group, associated with the BW Lesmes, nor TMS Tankers, managing the Burri, responded immediately to comment requests from Reuters news agency. Similarly, a representative from the Suez Canal Authority’s operations room, who did not disclose his name, was unable to provide further information when contacted. As of now, the Suez Canal Authority has not released an official statement on the matter.
The Suez Canal, a crucial global trade route and the shortest shipping link between Europe and Asia, handles about 12 percent of the world’s trade. This incident follows the 2021 disruption where the large container ship Ever Given became lodged in the canal due to strong winds, blocking traffic for six days and impacting global trade.
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