Cargo Ship Draws Phallic Shape with Route Before Becoming Wedged in Suez Canal

The MV Ever Given clogged one of the most vital shipping routes in the world, after its route traced a familiar shape in the Red Sea.

A 200,000 metric ton mega-ship was stranded diagonally across the Suez Canal on Wednesday, causing the mother of all traffic jams. The 1312 foot long, 193 foot wide MV Ever Given is registered in Panama, and currently leased by Taiwan-based shipping company Evergreen.

Ship watchers noticed the vessel had traced a phallic shape in its route on the Red Sea before it entered and became stuck in the Suez Canal. In a now-viral video posted to YouTube on Wednesday to the “VesselFinder” channel, the MV Ever Given‘s route meanders through what appears to be a crude depiction of male anatomy.

But the so-called “dick ship” would have already drawn plenty of eyes even without the nautical — and seemingly coincidental — penis. Once it left the Red Sea to pass through the Suez Canal, The Suez Canal Authority said a gale-force sand storm wrested control of the behemoth from its operators, wedging it tightly across the entire width of one of the world’s most crucial trade passages.

“Gusting winds of 30 knots caused the container ship to deviate from its course, suspectedly leading to the grounding,” Evergreen confirmed in a statement released Thursday. “Evergreen has urged the shipowner to investigate the cause of this accident, and work closely with Suez Canal Authority and related agencies to refloat the stranded ship as soon as possible.”

The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway opened in 1869, linking the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. It is utilized by at least 10% of international sea trade via an average of 50 such ships every day, and its current blockage could mean “catastrophic” delays to shipments of oil, manufacturing goods, food, oil, and even coronavirus vaccines.

“Because of COVID, you know how badly things have slowed down with moving goods, and now all of a sudden you add this and you’re going to have a delay getting goods to markets,” Maritime historian Dr. Sal Mercogliano told BBC Radio’s Today. “Ten percent of the world’s trade goes through the Suez Canal and you average about 50 vessels a day and we’re in the second day of not being able to move any vessels.”

Already, delays have caused oil prices to spike by 4.6%. Suez Canal Authority chairman Admiral Osama Rabie said “rescue and tug units are continuing their efforts” to free the ship. At least eight tugboats are currently involved.