Four hundred million dollars (about 2. 6 billion yuan). That's the value of the goods that flow through the Suez Canal (苏伊士运河) every hour, according to CNBC. The canal is one of the most important parts of the global shipping network that all of us depend on. However, it is also fragile (脆弱的).
The ship Ever Given got stuck in the canal on March 23 because of high winds, according to the ship's technical manager Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. It was stuck there for six days until finally being freed on March 29. But during that short time, the ship blocked the canal, leaving at least 422 ships unable to pass. This accident showed us just how big of a role the canal plays in global trade.
The canal, which first opened in 1869, connects the Mediterranean and Red seas. It creates a shorter route between Europe and the Indian and western Pacific oceans. By using the canal, shipping companies can move goods between Europe and Asia without having to sail around Africa, reducing sea voyage(航程) distances by about 7,000 km, according to Velta, a freight (货源) management company. This allows us to move goods faster and cheaper than shipping by air.
All kinds of goods get shipped through the canal every day. About seven percent of the world's oil is carried through the canal, as well as 30 percent of the world's total shipping container freight (集装箱货运). Electronics, furniture, clothing, and auto parts are just a few of the goods that the canal handles. Even basic daily goods like toilet paper and coffee pass through the canal, according to USA Today. If the canal is blocked for a long time, there might be shortages of these goods, which could cause their prices to go up.
