Image courtesy of: REUTERS

Alex Veitch, General Manager for Public Policy at Logistics UK, the business group representing the sector, said in response to the freeing of the EverGiven (29 March 2021):

“News that the stranded cargo vessel, the EverGiven, has finally been refloated and is no longer blocking the Suez Canal is excellent news for global supply chains.  However, with more than 300 ships stuck behind the ship waiting to travel through the canal, the impact of the incident will continue to be felt around the world for some weeks.

“Any delay to deliveries from the Far East will mean delays in picking up goods from UK ports for export, as well as slowing down deliveries into the UK’s supply chain. Goods affected by the delays will include seasonal stock for UK retailers, so gaps may start to appear unless the situation is resolved quickly.

“It is now vitally important to clear the “traffic jam” of ships delayed in the Canal as quickly as possible, to restart the supply chain and minimise any disruption.  However, the clearance of so many ships at one time could cause congestion at ports along the supply chain, with a resultant slowdown in port productivity.”