The longest lock on the Ohio is 1,200 feet, noted The Herald-Dispatch of West Virginia, but at least the Ever Given could do a U-turn in its wide channel. One online tool made it possible to see exactly how the Ever Given would fit in, say, the East River, or the stream behind your house. Back on the serious side, the Ever Given has shone a spotlight on many issues of global sea shipping, which still accounts for 70 percent of total international trade. Container ships have been steadily growing in recent years, so that those of the size of Ever Given can’t fit into the Panama Canal and can only barely squeeze through the Straits of Malacca. Choke points on sea routes have been a source of conflict through much of history, and the saga of the Ever Given demonstrates just how vulnerable they remain.

Source: International New York Times April 01, 2021 09:00 UTC