Container ship refloated in Egypt's Suez Canal after breakdown

A container ship that broke down in Egypt's Suez Canal on Sunday causing some traffic to be diverted has resumed its journey, the Canal Authority said.

The authority said in an earlier statement that the MSC ISTANBUL, sailing under the flag of Liberia, became stranded while transiting the canal on its way from Malaysia to Portugal.

Four tugboats had been working to move it, and traffic in the vital waterway had not been affected, the statement said.

"All the ships that are coming from the north have normally passed and navigation from the south also proceeded normally after the ships were diverted from the western channel to the eastern channel," it added.

Eikon shipping data showed the incident occurring at about 1600 GMT on Sunday.

In 2021, a huge container ship, the Ever Given, became stuck in high winds across a single-lane southern section of the canal, blocking traffic for six days before it could be dislodged. 

Reporting by Reuters