Abstract
On March 23, 2021, the Ever Given, a northbound ship loaded with more than 18,000 containers from China to the Netherlands drifted off course and became stuck in a single-lane section of the Suez Canal. As a result, hundreds of ships carrying food, oil, chemicals, and other goods were stuck at both the north and south entrances of the canal. This case was the first of its kind in the history of the Suez Canal – a cargo vessel caused the closure of the canal for a week due to a nonconflict event. However, the timing of the event was extraordinary, as the world was still struggling in its fight against COVID-19. The disruption caused by the stranded ship further exacerbated the supply chain chaos due to global lockdowns. The result was a halt to trade movement worth an estimated $400 million an hour (Baker, Watkins, and Osler 2021). After a week of dredging and tugging operations, the ship was successfully refloated and freed, leading to the opening of the canal.
