Affinity V, a Singaporean oil tanker, has been refloated after a breakdown in the Suez Canal in Egypt. The vessel ran aground briefly in the canal before being assisted by tugs. This failure would be due to a technical failure of its rudder.
The obstruction caused by Affinity V did not last long
The 252-meter long ship was en route to the Red Sea when it ran aground. The events were short-lived. In fact, they took place over a few hours. During this time, Affinity V broke down, drifted and then blocked the southern section of the channel. At around 22:00, traffic was able to return to its usual flow, thanks to the mobilization of five tugs.
This section of the canal was already in the news when the container ship Ever Given broke down. This last one was stranded in March 2021. It had been blocked for 6 days, which had considerably disrupted world maritime freight.
The operations of clearing Ever Given were carried out during 6 days. Thus, they required about ten tugs. These actions had resulted in the acceleration of the canal expansion plans.
The expansion work includes the extension of the second canal, which would allow ships to pass in both directions. They also include the deepening of an existing canal. The completion of these developments is scheduled for 2023.
He is heading for Saudi Arabia
This is the first blockage of the Suez Canal since the failure of the Ever Given. Nevertheless, the Affinity V tanker did not cause much disruption. TankerTrackers said on Twitter:
“The tanker Aframax Affinity V appears to have lost control in the Suez Canal while heading south. It has temporarily blocked traffic and is now facing south again, but is moving slowly with the assistance of a tug.”
In addition, the data collected show that the ship is currently in the Gulf of Suez. This is after successfully crossing the canal. Affinity V is headed for the port of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.
