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How did the Ever Given block shipping between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea in 2021?
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Red Sea
Map showing the Red Sea and the countries surrounding it. The Red Sea is one of the most heavily traveled waterways in the world. It is about 1,200 miles (1,930 km) long, and its maximum width is about 190 miles (305 km).
In March 2021, the container ship Ever Given, a 400-meter (1,312-foot) vessel, became wedged in the Suez Canal during a sandstorm. This obstruction effectively blocked maritime traffic between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea for six days. The ship was eventually refloated through the use of dredging and tugboats.12