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Six Days in Suez: What Really Happened on the Ever Given

Hey, it's Kit. Remember when that giant ship, the Ever Given, got stuck in the Suez Canal, breaking global trade and transfixing the world for nearly a week? Back in March, it was a welcome distraction from the pandemic and the source of a thousand internet memes, featuring Austin Powers, Godzilla, and, my personal favorite, Ross from Friends trying to "pivot!" a sofa up the stairs.

But it was a deadly serious situation for the captain and crew of the Ever Given, and for the army of salvage experts, marine logistics professionals, and government officials who had to deal with the fallout. In the latest issue of Bloomberg Businessweek, my colleagues Matt Campbell, K. Oanh Ha, and I tell the inside story of their odyssey, with exclusive details on how the ship crashed (including the memorable words, "Full Ahead!"), how they got it out, and why it's still being held in the Suez Canal. 

We also learned the unexpected history of Suez, and how this narrow stretch of waterway became possibly the world's most important chokepoint for commercial goods. Big boats bring everything from toys and sneakers to phones and fuel through that tiny canal to markets in Europe and the U.S. And as we now know, they can also bring about an unbelievable quagmire. Read the story or listen here. —Kit Chellel

"Shit!" the captain of the Ever Given screamed as the boat crashed.

Photographer: DigitalGlobe/ScapeWare3d/DigitalGlobe

 

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