Title: Tankers Collide in Suez Canal, Traffic Flowing Normally
Date: August 23, 2023
Cairo – Shipping traffic in Egypt’s Suez Canal resumed normal operations on Wednesday following a collision between two tankers earlier in the day, according to two shipping sources based in the country. The incident briefly disrupted the movement of vessels through the vital waterway.
The collision involved the Singapore-flagged liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, BW Lesmes, and the Cayman Islands-flagged oil products tanker, Burri, as reported by ship tracking company MarineTraffic. Eyewitnesses confirmed the incident, but no further details have been provided by the sources.
Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, Osama Rabie, confirmed on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) that a ship that had broken down in the navigation course was being towed. However, he did not provide additional information regarding the situation.
As of 5 a.m. (0200 GMT), ship tracking data on Refinitiv Eikon showed that the BW Lesmes was being towed southward by two tugboats, despite facing north. On the other hand, the Burri remained moored and pointing south, approximately 12 km (7.5 miles) from the southern end of the canal.
A time-lapse of the tracking map shared by MarineTraffic revealed that the Burri collided with the sideways BW Lesmes before both vessels adjusted their positions.
No immediate comments were received from BW Group and TMS Tankers, which manages the Burri. When contacted, a representative from the Suez Canal Authority’s operations room declined to provide any information about the incident or the tankers.
The Suez Canal serves as a vital transit route for international trade, connecting Europe and Asia. Approximately 12% of global trade passes through the canal, making it one of the busiest waterways in the world. Notably, in 2021, the canal faced disruption when the Ever Given, a massive container ship, became wedged across it due to strong winds, halting traffic in both directions for six days.
The Suez Canal Authority has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
Reporting by Yusri Mohammed, Muhammad Al Gebaly, Nafisa Eltahir, Enas Alashray, and Florence Tan; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Christian Schmollinger
Note: This article has been prepared based on available information and may be subject to updates.
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