Suez Canal Northbound Traffic Disrupted After ONE Containership Hits Bridge
The Suez Canal Authority is reporting disruptions to today’s northbound convoy in the canal after an Ocean Network Express (ONE) containership hit a bridge and is possibly grounded. The accident, however, happened in a section of two-way traffic with the authority reporting it will be able to divert the ships struck behind the accident to the western channel to complete the trip.
The ONE Orpheus (104,525 dwt) built in 2008 and managed by NYK for ONE began the transit early this morning as part of its voyage which began in Japan and Singapore and is bound for Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Suez Canal Authority is reporting the vessel experienced a “steering failure as a result of its rudder breaking down,” which led to the collision with a floating bridge near mile marker 74. The ship is 336 meters (1,102 feet) in length and has a capacity of 9,040 TEU.
Pictures of the incident appearing in the Egyptian media show the vessel askew in the channel with its bow having cut through the floating bridge. It appears the bow is on the bank of the canal with the vessel at an angle in the channel.
????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ???????? ONE ORPHEUS ?????? ????#???_????? #?????
???? https://t.co/FVolIDmhMZ pic.twitter.com/c5xDSub1th— ??? ????? ???????? (@ElBaladOfficial) December 6, 2023
The accident is north of Great Bitter Lake and in an area where there are two channels. However, AIS signals show an MSC containership holding behind the disabled ONE vessel as well as tankers, LNG, and LPG carriers that were also in the convoy. The canal authority reports after being advised of the incident they ordered vessels in the northbound convoy to moor and drop anchor while four tugs have been dispatched to assist the disabled containership.
Leth Agencies which manages vessels at the Suez Canal is reporting after the southbound convoy has passed the northbound ships will be diverted.
M/V One Orpheus grounded in the eastern channel of the Northbound convoy a few hours ago. Only vessels behind it are affected. Remaining Northbound convoy ships to resume transit in the western channel once Southbound vessels pass. SCA is diligently working on refloating the vsl. pic.twitter.com/wzMkPgoaZC
— Leth (@AgenciesLeth) December 6, 2023
The incident comes at a time when the Suez Canal is experiencing record volumes and is under increased pressure as vessels have begun to divert from the Panama Canal while the attacks in the Red Sea are threatening traffic. In November, the Suez Canal Authority reported new records in the number of vessels and tonnage passing through the canal.
Last month, ship traffic was up more than four percent in the Suez Canal versus November 2022, with a total of 2,264 ships making the transit compared to 2,171 ships a year earlier, or an increase of 93 vessels. Net tonnage was up more than eight percent to reach a total of 135.5 million tons, compared to 125.2 million tons in November 2022.
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