Chinese Bulker Grounds in Suez Canal, Traffic Suspended for Four Hours
A Chinese bulk carrier briefly disrupted traffic in the Suez Canal on April 2 after a technical failure forced the vessel aground during transit, stopping the southbound convoy for about four hours, Maritime Executive reports.
The Xin Tai Yuan (75,413 dwt), sailing under the Panamanian flag, grounded north of Great Bitter Lake after reporting a rudder malfunction while en route from Ust-Luga to Singapore. The Suez Canal Authority dispatched four tugboats, including the modern Azm 2, which helped refloat the vessel and escort it to anchorage for inspection. Transit resumed after the operation was completed. Around 50 vessels were scheduled to pass through the canal that day.
The incident came just days after the anniversary of the Ever Given grounding and again highlighted how even a single technical failure can temporarily affect traffic along one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes.
