If you’re ever having a rough day at work, just remember that you’ve never captained a 220,000-ton, 400 meter-long ship that drifted off course to completely block one of the world’s most vital trade routes. The massive container ship ran aground sideways in Egypt’s Suez Canal on Tuesday after being hit by freakishly strong winds. According to BBC News, officials have warned that the blockage could last for days after initial efforts to refloat the ship using tugboats and diggers didn’t work. There’s already a backlog of ships on either side of the lodged container vessel. Evergreen Marine, the haulage company that owns the ship, said it appeared to have been “hit by a sudden strong wind, causing the hull to deviate... and accidentally hit the bottom and run aground.” Sal Mercogliano, a maritime historian from North Carolina, said the incident could have “huge ramifications for global trade,” as around 10 percent of global trade passes through the Suez Canal.
