Russia, Iran propose alternative maritime routes amid Suez Canal blockage
Russia and Iran have called for the need to find alternative maritime shipping routes after a giant vessel was stuck in Egypt’s Suez Canal, blocking maritime traffic for days before it was freed.
![The container ship 'Ever Given' is refloated, unblocking the Suez Canal on March 29, 2021 in Suez, Egypt. This morning the container ship came partly unstuck from the shoreline, where it ran aground in the canal last Tuesday, and later resumed its course shortly after 3 pm local time. The Suez Canal is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes and the blockage had created a backlog of vessels at either end, raising concerns over the impact on global shipping and supply chains.](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/2021-04/GettyImages-1232003092.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=jkgMk86l)
CAIRO — The March 24 accident of the giant Panamanian container ship Ever Given sparked reports about the future of the Egyptian Suez Canal amid talks about alternative commercial transport projects.
The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) managed to free the ship on March 29 after being stranded in the canal for nearly a week, and maritime traffic subsequently resumed.