Maersk boxship raises pulses as it touches bottom in Suez Canal

A faulty engine room alarm caused the Maersk Line boxship Maersk Emerald to hit the bottom of the Suez Canal on Friday, according to Leith Agencies.

The 2012-built, 13,000-teu vessel grounded at km 98 of the canal, causing brief concern over a another disruption to traffic transiting the vital waterway.

“Fortunately, the vessel was refloated only hours later and traffic has resumed to normal. Only minor delays for a few vessels occurred,” it added.

“We hereby confirm that Maersk Emerald has been re-floated and will be anchored at Great Bitter Lake, part of the Suez Canal, to proceed with the investigation about the causes that brought her to run aground on 28 May,” a Maersk spokeswoman told TradeWinds.

The incident comes two months after the ULCS Ever Given blocked the canal for six days, disrupting an estimated 12% of the world’s maritime trade.