Massive ship gets stuck in the Suez Canal — blocking countless others from getting by

The Suez Canal is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, affecting economies all over the world. And this week, the Suez is facing a major crisis: a massive container ship that became stuck, preventing other ships from getting by.

The Ever Given, according to the Guardian, was blown off course by wind gusts and "became stuck near the southern end of the Canal." Egyptian authorities, the Guardian reports, have sent in tugboats in an effort to free the Given so that other ships can get by.

The Ever Given, according to the New York Times, was on its way from China to Rotterdam in the Netherlands when it got stuck. Times reporters Vivian Yee and Peter S. Goodman note that by Wednesday morning, March 24, "more than 100 ships were stuck at each end of the canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean and carries roughly 10% of worldwide shipping traffic." And the Suez Canal Authority, the Times reports, said that the Ever Given has been "partially refloated" and that crews were trying to push the massive ship along one bank of the Suez Canal.