2 Tankers Collide at Suez Canal

Two tankers collided in Egypt's Suez Canal, a crucial trade route, on Wednesday. According to Osama Rabie, the chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, maritime traffic is expected to resume in a matter of hours after the incident.

The collision occurred between two vessels: the liquefied natural gas carrier "BW Lysmese" flying the Singapore flag, and the oil product tanker "Bori" under the Cayman Islands flag. Both ships were part of a northbound convoy in the canal.

Rabie stated that there were no significant damages or pollution incidents involving the tankers, based on initial observations.

Providing more details, Rabie explained that the "BW Lysmese" experienced a technical failure, causing it to halt abruptly at kilometer marker 144. This malfunction affected its steering and machinery, rendering it unable to move. At the same time, strong currents pushed the "Bori" tanker, causing it to scrape against the disabled vessel.

Rabie praised the effectiveness of the canal's tugboats in managing this unexpected situation. The tugboats successfully towed the "Bori" and anchored it, while efforts were made to attach tow ropes from four other tugs to the malfunctioning "BW Lysmese." The rescue tug "Ezzat Adel" and the tugboats "Mosaab 2," "Suez 1," and "Suez 2" began pulling the tanker out of the canal's intended course.

Rabie reiterated that there was minimal damage, with preliminary inspections confirming no significant harm or pollution caused by the collision. However, the crew of the "Bori" reported an unexpected steering malfunction, requiring the assistance of the canal's tugboats for towing until the issue could be resolved. Consequently, the tugboats "New Egypt" and "Mosaab 3" were dispatched for the task.

The "BW Lysmese," registered under the Singapore flag, has dimensions of 295 meters in length, 46 meters in width, and carries a load of 121,000 tons. In contrast, the "Bori" measures approximately 250 meters in length, 44 meters in width, with a capacity of 67,000 tons.

Rabie assured that normal maritime traffic in the canal would be restored soon. He announced that once the "Bori" is successfully towed out of the planned course, vessels in the northbound convoy would be able to continue their passage.