Free efforts are still underway at the Suez Canal after a massive container ship the size of a skyscraper became stuck across the waterways and blocked all traffic.

Suez Canal Blocked: Recovery efforts underway to free ship

A huge cargo ship wedged across Egypt’s Suez Canal brought global shipping to a halt Thursday as at least 150 other vessels needing to pass through the crucial waterway idled waiting for the obstruction to clear.

Efforts to dislodge the 400 m (1,312 foot) long container vessel resumed at high tide on Thursday -- with five tugs working to drag the vessel to deeper water, according to ship-tracking data.

The Ever Given vessel ran aground diagonally across the single-lane stretch of the southern canal on Tuesday morning after losing the ability to steer amid high winds and a dust storm, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement. It is now blocking transit in both directions through one of the world's busiest shipping channels for goods, oil, grain and other products linking Asia and Europe.

In the time since, efforts to free the ship using dredgers, digging and the aid of high tides have yet to push the container vessel aside.

Peter Berdowski, CEO of Dutch company Boskalis, which is trying to free the ship, said it was too early to say how long the job might take. He said the ship's bow and stern had been lifted up against either side of the canal.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), the technical manager of Ever Given, said dredgers were working to clear sand and mud from around the vessel to free her while tugboats in conjunction with Ever Given's winches are working to shift it.

Marine services firm GAC issued a note to clients overnight saying efforts to free the vessel using tug boats continued, but that wind conditions and the sheer size of the vessel "were hindering the operation".

Ship-tracking software shows five tugs surrounding the Ever Given and three more heading towards it. The ship`s GPS signal shows only minor changes to its position over the past 24 hours, however.

Several dozen vessels, including other large container ships, tankers carrying oil and gas, and bulk vessels hauling grain have backed up at either end of the canal to create one of the worst shipping jams seen for years. Tug boats also nudged the vessel alongside it, trying to gain momentum. From the shore, at least one backhoe dug into the canal’s sandy banks, suggesting the bow of the ship had plowed into it.

Shipping experts say that if the blockage is not likely to be cleared within the next 24-48 hours, some shipping firms may be forced to re-route vessels around the southern tip of Africa, which would add roughly a week to the journey.

(with inputs)

A huge cargo ship wedged across Egypt’s Suez Canal brought global shipping to a halt Thursday as at least 150 other vessels needing to pass through the crucial waterway idled waiting for the obstruction to clear.

A huge cargo ship wedged across Egypt’s Suez Canal brought global shipping to a halt Thursday as at least 150 other vessels needing to pass through the crucial waterway idled waiting for the obstruction to clear. Efforts to dislodge the 400 m (1,312 foot) long container vessel resumed at high tide on Thursday -- with five tugs working to drag the vessel to deeper water, according to ship-tracking data. The Ever Given vessel ran aground diagonally across the single-lane stretch of the southern canal on Tuesday morning after losing the ability to steer amid high winds and a dust storm, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement. It is now blocking transit in both directions through one of the world's busiest shipping channels for goods, oil, grain and other products linking Asia and Europe. In the time since, efforts to free the ship using dredgers, digging and the aid of high tides have yet to push the container vessel aside. Peter Berdowski, CEO of Dutch company Boskalis, which is trying to free the ship, said it was too early to say how long the job might take. He said the ship's bow and stern had been lifted up against either side of the canal. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), the technical manager of Ever Given, said dredgers were working to clear sand and mud from around the vessel to free her while tugboats in conjunction with Ever Given's winches are working to shift it. Marine services firm GAC issued a note to clients overnight saying efforts to free the vessel using tug boats continued, but that wind conditions and the sheer size of the vessel "were hindering the operation". Ship-tracking software shows five tugs surrounding the Ever Given and three more heading towards it. The ship`s GPS signal shows only minor changes to its position over the past 24 hours, however. Several dozen vessels, including other large container ships, tankers carrying oil and gas, and bulk vessels hauling grain have backed up at either end of the canal to create one of the worst shipping jams seen for years. Tug boats also nudged the vessel alongside it, trying to gain momentum. From the shore, at least one backhoe dug into the canal’s sandy banks, suggesting the bow of the ship had plowed into it. Shipping experts say that if the blockage is not likely to be cleared within the next 24-48 hours, some shipping firms may be forced to re-route vessels around the southern tip of Africa, which would add roughly a week to the journey. (with inputs)

Cargo ship remains stuck in Suez Canal; wind conditions adding to the woes

NASA is planning to send a new zero-gravity toilet to the International Space Station. The toilet, that's worth $23 million- will be sent to the station for testing on a cargo ship. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: A new space toilet for International Space Station

The situation in Pakistan over the toxic gas leak continues to worsen. The Pakistan authorities blamed a cargo ship named Hercules containing soybean of emitting hydrogen sulfide. The death toll from gas leak raised to 14. People are protesting against government response, mismanagement, flip-flops and blame games.

WION Dispatch: Pakistan blames cargo ship for gas leak

Pakistan blames cargo ship for gas leak

North Korea stepped up its campaign on Tuesday for the United States to return a seized cargo ship belonging to Pyongyang, warning Washington that it had violated its sovereignty in a move that could affect "future developments" between the countries.

North Korea's UN Ambassador Kim Song held a rare news conference at the United Nations in New York to demand the immediate return of the ship, which the United States said earlier this month it had seized over accusations it was used for coal shipments in violation of US and UN sanctions.

"The United States should deliberate and think over the consequences its outrageous act might have on the future developments. Also, the United States must return our cargo ship without delay," Kim said. "We regard it as part of our territory where our sovereignty is fully exercised."

He said the seizure of the ship, known as the "Wise Honest," defied the spirit of a statement by US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after their first meeting in Singapore in June 2018. They pledged to build new ties between their countries and work toward North Korea's denuclearization.

The US Justice Department earlier this month said the ship was seized and impounded to American Samoa. The vessel was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018.

A second meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un in Hanoi broke down in February. With talks on denuclearization stalled, North Korea went ahead with more weapons tests this month. The tests were seen as a protest by Kim Jong Un after Trump rejected his calls for sanctions relief at the Hanoi summit.

The UN Security Council has unanimously strengthened sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, banning exports including coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, and capping imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products.

"We will carefully watch every move of the United States," said Kim.

Kim wrote to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday to ask him to take "urgent measures" over the issue. U.N spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday that the letter had been received.

"We're taking a look at it. The issue of sanctions, the implementation of sanctions, the interpretation of sanctions, is really a matter for the UN Security Council to decide and to discuss," he said.

North Korea stepped up its campaign on Tuesday for the United States to return a seized cargo ship belonging to Pyongyang, warning Washington that it had violated its sovereignty in a move that could affect "future developments" between the countries.

North Korea stepped up its campaign on Tuesday for the United States to return a seized cargo ship belonging to Pyongyang, warning Washington that it had violated its sovereignty in a move that could affect "future developments" between the countries. North Korea's UN Ambassador Kim Song held a rare news conference at the United Nations in New York to demand the immediate return of the ship, which the United States said earlier this month it had seized over accusations it was used for coal shipments in violation of US and UN sanctions. "The United States should deliberate and think over the consequences its outrageous act might have on the future developments. Also, the United States must return our cargo ship without delay," Kim said. "We regard it as part of our territory where our sovereignty is fully exercised." He said the seizure of the ship, known as the "Wise Honest," defied the spirit of a statement by US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after their first meeting in Singapore in June 2018. They pledged to build new ties between their countries and work toward North Korea's denuclearization. The US Justice Department earlier this month said the ship was seized and impounded to American Samoa. The vessel was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018. A second meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un in Hanoi broke down in February. With talks on denuclearization stalled, North Korea went ahead with more weapons tests this month. The tests were seen as a protest by Kim Jong Un after Trump rejected his calls for sanctions relief at the Hanoi summit. The UN Security Council has unanimously strengthened sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in a bid to choke funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, banning exports including coal, iron, lead, textiles and seafood, and capping imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products. "We will carefully watch every move of the United States," said Kim. Kim wrote to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday to ask him to take "urgent measures" over the issue. U.N spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday that the letter had been received. "We're taking a look at it. The issue of sanctions, the implementation of sanctions, the interpretation of sanctions, is really a matter for the UN Security Council to decide and to discuss," he said.

North Korea warns US over seized ship at rare UN news conference

North Korea called US a seizure of North Korean cargo ship involved in banned coal exports an "unlawful robbery" and demanded the ship to be immediately returned.

North Korea demands immediate return of Cargo Ship seized by US

Cargo ship's lost containers bring windfall to Dutch islanders

An Iranian oil tanker burst into flames from end to end and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iranian-oil-tanker-has-suddenly-ignited-and-sunk-chinese-state-tv-29480" target="_blank">sank</a> Sunday, eight days after it caught fire following a collision with a cargo ship off China, state media said.

Earlier, a Tehran official said there was no hope of saving some 30 missing crewmen before the ship sank, amid concern over an oil spill as Chinese officials played down fears of a major environmental disaster.

The Sanchi, carrying 136,000 tonnes of light crude oil from Iran, had been burning since colliding with the CF Crystal, a Hong Kong-registered bulk freighter, on January 6.

At around midday Sunday the ship &quot;suddenly ignited&quot;, with the entire vessel burning fiercely and a pall of smoke between 800 and 1,000 metres (2,625 and 3,280 feet) high, China&#39;s transport ministry said, releasing dramatic pictures of the entire vessel obscured by thick black smoke.

The ship later sank, the official news agency Xinhua cited the State Oceanic Administration as saying.

&quot;There is no hope of finding survivors among the members of the crew,&quot; Mohammad Rastad, spokesman for the Iranian rescue team dispatched to Shanghai, told Iran&#39;s state broadcaster in Tehran before the tanker went down.

Rastad said information from members of the Crystal crew suggested all the personnel on the Sanchi died in the first hour of the accident &quot;due to the explosion and the release of gas&quot;.

&quot;Despite our efforts, it has not been possible to extinguish the fire and recover the bodies due to repeated explosions and gas leaks,&quot; he said.

The Sanchi, which had been headed to South Korea to deliver its cargo, had a crew of 32 -- 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis. Only three bodies have been recovered.

Scenes of anger and grief erupted in Tehran as news of the deaths reached dozens of family, friends and colleagues of the crew, who were waiting desperately for information about their loved ones at the National Iranian Tanker Company headquarters.

Labour Minister Ali Rabiei was shown crying on state television as he tried to comfort the wife of one crewman, telling her to &quot;hold your child close and be strong&quot;.&nbsp;

- &#39;Minimal human impact&#39; - 
Chinese rescuers had on Saturday recovered the tanker&#39;s &quot;black box&quot;, the transport ministry said, without specifying exactly what had been retrieved.

A reporter with China&#39;s state television CCTV aboard a plane from the State Oceanic Administration reported seeing wreckage from the Sanchi, oil on fire, and spilled fuel covering a 10-square-kilometre (3.9-square-mile) area.&nbsp;

&quot;The oil spill situation is very serious,&quot; CCTV quoted the reporter as saying on social media.

But the television channel earlier also cited Zhang Yong, a senior engineer with the State Oceanic Administration, as playing down fears of a spill.

&quot;Because this is a light crude oil spill, relatively speaking it has a much smaller impact than other oil spills, because this kind of oil is especially volatile -&ndash; most of it has entered the atmosphere, so it&#39;s had less impact on the ocean&quot;, Zhang was quoted as saying.

&quot;This area should be considered the open sea, very far from places where people live, so the human impact should be minimal.&quot;

Rescue efforts had been particularly difficult because at 89 degrees Celsius, the vessel&#39;s compartments were too hot for workers to withstand for long, CCTV quoted He Wang, an expert from Chinese oil company Huade Petrochemical, as saying.&nbsp;

A Tehran official had earlier said there was no hope of saving some 30 missing crewmen before the ship sank

An Iranian oil tanker burst into flames from end to end and sank Sunday, eight days after it caught fire following a collision with a cargo ship off China, state media said. Earlier, a Tehran official said there was no hope of saving some 30 missing crewmen before the ship sank, amid concern over an oil spill as Chinese officials played down fears of a major environmental disaster. The Sanchi, carrying 136,000 tonnes of light crude oil from Iran, had been burning since colliding with the CF Crystal, a Hong Kong-registered bulk freighter, on January 6. At around midday Sunday the ship "suddenly ignited", with the entire vessel burning fiercely and a pall of smoke between 800 and 1,000 metres (2,625 and 3,280 feet) high, China's transport ministry said, releasing dramatic pictures of the entire vessel obscured by thick black smoke. The ship later sank, the official news agency Xinhua cited the State Oceanic Administration as saying. "There is no hope of finding survivors among the members of the crew," Mohammad Rastad, spokesman for the Iranian rescue team dispatched to Shanghai, told Iran's state broadcaster in Tehran before the tanker went down. Rastad said information from members of the Crystal crew suggested all the personnel on the Sanchi died in the first hour of the accident "due to the explosion and the release of gas". "Despite our efforts, it has not been possible to extinguish the fire and recover the bodies due to repeated explosions and gas leaks," he said. The Sanchi, which had been headed to South Korea to deliver its cargo, had a crew of 32 -- 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis. Only three bodies have been recovered. Scenes of anger and grief erupted in Tehran as news of the deaths reached dozens of family, friends and colleagues of the crew, who were waiting desperately for information about their loved ones at the National Iranian Tanker Company headquarters. Labour Minister Ali Rabiei was shown crying on state television as he tried to comfort the wife of one crewman, telling her to "hold your child close and be strong". - 'Minimal human impact' - Chinese rescuers had on Saturday recovered the tanker's "black box", the transport ministry said, without specifying exactly what had been retrieved. A reporter with China's state television CCTV aboard a plane from the State Oceanic Administration reported seeing wreckage from the Sanchi, oil on fire, and spilled fuel covering a 10-square-kilometre (3.9-square-mile) area. "The oil spill situation is very serious," CCTV quoted the reporter as saying on social media. But the television channel earlier also cited Zhang Yong, a senior engineer with the State Oceanic Administration, as playing down fears of a spill. "Because this is a light crude oil spill, relatively speaking it has a much smaller impact than other oil spills, because this kind of oil is especially volatile -– most of it has entered the atmosphere, so it's had less impact on the ocean", Zhang was quoted as saying. "This area should be considered the open sea, very far from places where people live, so the human impact should be minimal." Rescue efforts had been particularly difficult because at 89 degrees Celsius, the vessel's compartments were too hot for workers to withstand for long, CCTV quoted He Wang, an expert from Chinese oil company Huade Petrochemical, as saying.

No survivors as Iranian tanker sinks engulfed in flames

Eleven Indian crew members were missing on Friday after their cargo ship sank in the Pacific off the Philippines as a typhoon churned in the region, Japan&#39;s coastguard said.

The 33,205-tonne Emerald Star with 26 Indian nationals on board sent a distress signal early Friday as the Hong Kong-registered vessel was sailing some 280 kilometres (174 miles) east of the northern tip of the Philippines, said a statement from the Japanese coastguard, which received the distress signal.

Three other vessels sailing near the area rescued 15 crew members but 11 others were still missing, a Japanese coastguard spokesman said, adding that the cargo ship has sunk.

&quot;We have dispatched two patrol boats and three planes to the site but a typhoon has made a rescue difficult,&quot; the spokesman added.

 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kB_O9TjWBl4" width="560"></iframe> 
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Eleven Indian crew members went missing cargo ship sank in the Pacific off the Philippines as a typhoon churned in the region

Eleven Indian crew members were missing on Friday after their cargo ship sank in the Pacific off the Philippines as a typhoon churned in the region, Japan's coastguard said. The 33,205-tonne Emerald Star with 26 Indian nationals on board sent a distress signal early Friday as the Hong Kong-registered vessel was sailing some 280 kilometres (174 miles) east of the northern tip of the Philippines, said a statement from the Japanese coastguard, which received the distress signal. Three other vessels sailing near the area rescued 15 crew members but 11 others were still missing, a Japanese coastguard spokesman said, adding that the cargo ship has sunk. "We have dispatched two patrol boats and three planes to the site but a typhoon has made a rescue difficult," the spokesman added.

Watch: 11 Indian crew missing after vessel sinks off Philippines: Japan

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