Research the 2021 Suez Canal obstruction. Describe what happened. Then identify
at least two human characteristics and two physical characteristics of the region
that caused the obstruction to occur. Finally, describe how these characteristics
caused the obstruction.
In 2021, a massive obstruction took place in the Suez Canal, one of the world's busiest and strategically important trade routes. The incident occurred on March 23, when the Ever Given, one of the largest container ships in the world, ran aground and became wedged horizontally across the canal. This caused a complete halt in navigation, preventing other vessels from passing through and leading to a significant disruption in global maritime trade.
Several human characteristics contributed to the obstruction. Firstly, the Suez Canal is managed and operated by human institutions, including the Suez Canal Authority (SCA). Despite the constant dredging and maintenance efforts carried out by the SCA to keep the canal operational, accidents can still occur due to human error or miscommunication. In this case, investigations suggested that the obstruction might have been caused by strong winds and a dust storm, which led to decreased visibility, affecting the vessel's navigation.
Secondly, the Suez Canal witnesses a high volume of maritime traffic, making it a congested route for vessels. This congestion can pose challenges for ship operators in maintaining control and avoiding collisions or groundings. The narrow width of the canal, combined with the presence of other vessels in close proximity, increases the risks of accidents occurring. The Ever Given, being one of the largest container ships with its immense size and capacity, faced further complications while navigating in such a confined space.
The physical characteristics of the region also played a role in causing the obstruction. Firstly, the sandy terrain and loose soil of the canal's banks and the surrounding area make it prone to erosion. Strong winds or water currents can easily destabilize the land, leading to a ship running aground. In the case of the Ever Given, it is believed that the adverse weather conditions caused the vessel to deviate from its course and subsequently get stuck due to the unstable soil.
Secondly, the Suez Canal is a relatively long and narrow waterway, spanning approximately 120 miles (193 km). This elongated shape combined with its limited maneuvering space increases the risk of accidents occurring. Due to the canal's narrow width, vessels have little room for error while passing each other. A slight deviation from the correct line can result in a ship coming into contact with the canal's bank or another vessel, causing blockages and delays.
In the case of the Ever Given obstruction, the combination of adverse weather conditions, strong winds, reduced visibility, and the vessel's large size navigating through a confined space played a significant role. These factors caused the vessel to go off course and eventually run aground, leading to the obstruction that disrupted global trade for several days.
In detail, describe how the characteristics caused or influenced the Suez Canal
obstruction