Stranded Suez Canal ship re-floated, marine services firm says

**Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said on Wednesday it has diverted ships to its old channel after a giant cargo container has blocked the course of the new crossing./Xinhua**

The stranded container ship blocking the Suez Canal for almost a week was re-floated on Monday and is currently being secured, Inchcape Shipping Services said, raising hopes the busy waterway will soon be reopened.

The 400-meter (430-yard) long Ever Given was successfully re-floated at 4.30 am local time (0230 GMT) and was being secured, Inchcape, a global provider of marine services said on Twitter.

Video posted on social media appeared to show the ship’s stern had swung around, opening space in the canal. Other footage, which could not be immediately verified by Reuters, included cheering and ships’ horns sounding in celebration.

Ship-tracking service VesselFinder has changed the ship’s status to underway on its website.

The Ever Given became jammed diagonally across a southern section of the canal in high winds early on Tuesday, halting shipping traffic on the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia.