Which 2021 event severely disrupted global trade when a large container ship got stuck?

The 2021 event that severely disrupted global trade when a large container ship got stuck was the Ever Given grounding.

On March 23, 2021, the Panama-flagged container ship Ever Given became wedged diagonally across the southern section of Egypt’s Suez Canal. The vessel’s bow and stern pressed against opposite banks, blocking traffic in both directions on one of the world’s most important trade routes.

The obstruction lasted six days, until dredgers, tugboats, and a high spring tide helped refloat the ship on March 29. Hundreds of ships were delayed, while others diverted around Africa, adding significant time, fuel costs, and congestion to global supply chains. The canal normally carries roughly 12% of world trade by volume.

The event is often called the “Suez Canal blockage” or “Ever Given incident.” It was not the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Titanic sinking, or the Costa Concordia disaster; those were maritime disasters involving different ships and circumstances.