Suez Canal Authority says shipping backlog cleared

The Ever Given ran aground on Tuesday last week, paralyzing the crucial waterway. The damage to global trade can run into $1 billion, according to the canal authority.

This satellite image from Maxar Technologies shows the cargo ship MV Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal near Suez, Egypt. (File Photo | AP) 

CAIRO: All vessels trapped at the entrance to Egypt's Suez Canal by the grounding of a giant container ship have passed through as of Saturday, the chairman of the waterway's authority said.

"All 422 vessels with a combined tonnage of 22 million, which have been queuing since the mishap involving the Ever Given, have passed through the Suez Canal," Osama Rabie said in a statement.

The Ever Given ran aground on Tuesday last week, paralyzing the crucial waterway. The damage to global trade can run into $1 billion, according to the canal authority.

The ship was refloated on Monday by a fleet of 15 tugboats. The last 61 ships cleared the canal linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday.