It is the David and Goliath story of our times: one of biggest container ships in the world got stuck in the Suez canal, blocking a route through which 12% of the worlds trade passes and sent to rescue it was a very small bulldozer.
John Arnold (@JohnArnoldFndtn)2 guys and a bulldozer on site to dislodge a ship stuck in the Suez Canal. pic.twitter.com/APAIU7sCv6
March 24, 2021
Online, the slow-moving crisis was quickly turned into a learning experience: memes 101. The overarching theme was futility: of work in the face of a never-ending number of things to do; of $1,400 stimulus checks in response to the coronavirus pandemic; of drinking in the face of the incessant, crushing weight of existence.
Ben Harris-Roxas (@ben_hr)This is my favourite meme format in a long time pic.twitter.com/p7XOuC43PU
March 24, 2021
Deeba Shadnia (@deebashadnia)pic.twitter.com/oQ5kVOSftc
March 24, 2021
Chaz Hutton (@chazhutton)Todays Comic: We are all, in our own little way, that ship. pic.twitter.com/GVDjLxzErX
March 24, 2021
Austin Powers was an early reference, thanks to a scene in which the British spy attempts to perform a U-turn in a narrow passageway.
Ben Harris-Roxas (@ben_hr)Honourable mention pic.twitter.com/Ci4q0lK4vW
March 24, 2021
Some were able to relate the crisis to their own traffic and parking-induced stress:
slick (@dlicj)glad i decided to take the panama canal instead of the suez today
March 24, 2021
Some turned to poetry:
Rhiannon Shaw (@rhiannoneshaw)this is just to sayi have blockedthe suez
which youprobably neededfor internationaltrade
forgive meim sidewaysand my ship assis big
March 24, 2021
Katy / krfabian (@krfabian)my name is Boatand wen im tired(but shipping werkis still required)
then all I wantis lyttle snoozei turn to sidei blok the Sooz
March 24, 2021
Others resorted to profanity:
Arnthor Asgrimsson (@addiiceland)pic.twitter.com/ElEdlyzZ4q
March 24, 2021
By Wednesday afternoon the ship had been partly refloated, said GAC, a Dubai-based marine services company, citing information from the canal authority. Convoys and traffic are expected to resume as soon as the vessel is towed to another position, it said on its website.
But ship broker Braemar told Agence France-Presse that it could be a while before the ship is moved. If tugboats are unable to pull it free, containers may have to be offloaded to make the vessel lighter, which could, said Braemar, take days, maybe weeks.