Suez Canal shipping backlog cleared

The backlog of ships in the Suez Canal_ caused by the grounding of the giant container vessel Ever Given in the waterway_ has been cleared_ Egypt's Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said on Saturday.

A queue of 422 ships had built up by the time the mammoth cargo ship was refloated_ six days after getting stuck and blocking the key global shipping route on March 23.

The last 61 ships passed through the canal linking the Mediterranean to the Red Sea on Saturday.

In total_ 85 ships had been due to pass through the canal on Saturday_ including 24 ships that arrived after Ever Given was dislodged_ the SCA said.

How did the Ever Given get stuck?

An SCA investigation began on Wednesday into what caused the vessel to run aground in the canal_ the canal authority's chairman_ Osama Rabie_ told the MBC Masr private TV late on Friday.

"The investigation is going well and will take two more days_ then we will announce the results_" he added.

The impact of the blockage

The blockage held up some $9 billion (¬ 7.6 billion) in global trade each day since the ship became wedged in the canal.

At least 18_840 ships passed through the canal last year.

The Suez Canal provides one of Egypt's main sources of income_ alongside tourism and remittances from expatriates.

Revenue from the waterway reached $5.6 billion last year.