Tankers collide in Suez Canal, traffic not affected

Two tankers collided on Tuesday, April 4 in the Great Bitter Lake region, part of the Suez Canal, a key artery for the movement of goods between Europe and Asia.

According to the head of the canal authority Lieutenant-General Osama Rabie, the ‘minor friction’ occurred when the tanker Lyric Magnolia was waiting at the anchorage area in the Great Bitter Lake, as the other tanker Aligote was preparing to move from the waiting area.

Lyric Magnolia is an LR2 tanker of 110,000 DWT, built in 2016, and it is owned by Greece-based Orpheus Marine Transport. Aligote is an LR1 tanker, built in 2010, and owned by Greek shipowner Roxana Shipping.

Strong winds contributed to the incident, but fortunately, no significant damages or pollution were reported in the area, the canal authority said.

The marine rescue team was immediately dispatched to inspect both tankers, and a detailed report on their technical condition was prepared. The tankers resumed their journey early in the morning following a green light from inspectors.

In the wake of the highly publicized Ever Given accident, any minor incident involving vessels in the Suez Canal will inevitably raise eyebrows.

However, maritime authorities have moved quickly to reassure the public that the recent collision between two tankers has not affected navigation traffic in the canal.