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What caused the Ever Given to block the Suez Canal in March 2021?

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Cargo ships travel along the wide Suez Canal in Egypt, bordered by sandy desert on one side and greenery on the other. — Suez Canal Ships in the Suez Canal in Egypt. One of the world's most important shipping lanes, the Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

The Ever Given, a 400-meter-long container ship, became wedged in the Suez Canal on March 23, 2021, after encountering a sandstorm. The vessel remained stuck for six days, obstructing international trade between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea until it was successfully refloated through the use of tugboats and dredging operations.12