• The 'Ever Given' container ship blocked the Suez Canal for six days. Reuters
    The 'Ever Given' container ship blocked the Suez Canal for six days. Reuters
  • The ship became grounded during high winds. Airbus Space
    The ship became grounded during high winds. Airbus Space
  • The incident cost the Suez Canal Authority up to $15 million in revenue. Airbus Space
    The incident cost the Suez Canal Authority up to $15 million in revenue. Airbus Space
  • Left, the canal on March 21; right, traffic waits to enter the canal on March 25. Reuters
    Left, the canal on March 21; right, traffic waits to enter the canal on March 25. Reuters
  • Vessels wait to pass through the canal after the 'Ever Given' ran aground. Airbus Space
    Vessels wait to pass through the canal after the 'Ever Given' ran aground. Airbus Space
  • The incident caused a queue of vessels at the mouth of the canal. Airbus Space
    The incident caused a queue of vessels at the mouth of the canal. Airbus Space
  • It took six days to free the 'Ever Given'. Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation
    It took six days to free the 'Ever Given'. Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation
  • An image captured by the European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite shows the canal during the blockage. Reuters
    An image captured by the European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite shows the canal during the blockage. Reuters
  • The 200,000-tonne cargo ship caused damage to the vital waterway. Reuters
    The 200,000-tonne cargo ship caused damage to the vital waterway. Reuters
  • Egypt initially claimed $900m in compensation over the incident. Reuters
    Egypt initially claimed $900m in compensation over the incident. Reuters
  • An image captured from a commercial plane shows traffic waiting to travel through the canal. AFP
    An image captured from a commercial plane shows traffic waiting to travel through the canal. AFP
  • The 'Ever Given' will be released by the Egyptian authorities on Wednesday. AFP
    The 'Ever Given' will be released by the Egyptian authorities on Wednesday. AFP
  • The 'Ever given' was stuck for six days and caused damage to the canal. AFP
    The 'Ever given' was stuck for six days and caused damage to the canal. AFP
  • The blockage cost the canal authority millions of dollars because cargo ships were unable to pass. AFP
    The blockage cost the canal authority millions of dollars because cargo ships were unable to pass. AFP

Egypt

What connects the 'Ever Given', the Suez Canal and 7,200 rubber ducks loose in the Pacific?

Both ships were reportedly chartered by the same company

The National

April 01, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

As the world watches efforts to free the Ever Given, a 200,000-tonne cargo ship stuck sideways in the Suez Canal since Tuesday, few will know its link to another incident that kept the world spellbound.

Evergreen Marine Corporation operates the Ever Given on behalf of the ship's owner Shoei Kisen, which has apologised for blocking one of the world's busiest commercial sea routes.

In January 1992, a ship reportedly operated by Evergreen and owned by a Greek company called Technomar Shipping spilled 28,800 plastic toys into the Pacific Ocean during a storm.

The Ever Laurel arrived in the port of Tacoma in Washington state a day later than scheduled from Hong Kong after reports of heavy storms.

It is thought the boat may have dipped and rolled in large waves, causing a container to slip off into sea.

Donovan Hohn, who wrote Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea about the spill and the fate of the floating creatures, found 7,200 each of plastic red beavers, blue turtles, green frogs and classic yellow rubber ducks were accidentally released into the Pacific.

"For years the identity of the ship was a well-kept secret, but by consulting old shipping schedules published in the Journal of Commerce and preserved on scratched spools of microfiche in a library basement, I, by process of elimination, solved this riddle: the ship was the Evergreen Ever Laurel, owned by a Greek company called Technomar Shipping and operated by the Taiwanese Evergreen Marine Corp," Mr Hohn wrote in an extract of his book printed by The Guardian.

In the years since, oceanographers have used the floating toys, nicknamed friendly floatees, to track currents, giving insight into the world's climate.

The toys have washed up on many far shores, travelling more than 27,360 kilometres by some estimates.

Evergreen now operates a different ship named the Ever Laurel, which was built in 2012.

It travels today between the Far East and South America.

Spills from cargo ships are relatively common in stormy weather.

In December, hundreds of containers were lost from the One Apus when stacks collapsed as it travelled the Pacific north of Hawaii.

Trump v Khan

2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24

New Zealand
Penalties: Barrett (7)

British & Irish Lions
Tries: Faletau, Murray
Penalties: Farrell (4)
Conversions: Farrell 
 

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
War and the virus
Zayed Sustainability Prize

Dubai Rugby Sevens

November 30, December 1-2
International Vets
Christina Noble Children’s Foundation fixtures

Thursday, November 30:

10.20am, Pitch 3, v 100 World Legends Project
1.20pm, Pitch 4, v Malta Marauders

Friday, December 1:

9am, Pitch 4, v SBA Pirates

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

While you're here
57%20Seconds
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rusty%20Cundieff%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJosh%20Hutcherson%2C%20Morgan%20Freeman%2C%20Greg%20Germann%2C%20Lovie%20Simone%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

While you're here
Read
The bio:

Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.

Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.

Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.

Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.

 

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.3-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E299hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E420Nm%20at%202%2C750rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12.4L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh157%2C395%20(XLS)%3B%20Dh199%2C395%20(Limited)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Teaching in coronavirus times
On Women's Day

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Tomorrow 2021
UAE currency

COMPANY PROFILE

Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2014

Number of employees: 36

Sector: Logistics

Raised: $2.5 million

Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE

LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
%3Cp%3E(Premier%20League%20only)%3Cbr%3EMohamed%20Salah%20129%3Cbr%3ERobbie%20Fowler%20128%3Cbr%3ESteven%20Gerrard%20120%3Cbr%3EMichael%20Owen%20118%3Cbr%3ESadio%20Mane%2090%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Naga
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMeshal%20Al%20Jaser%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdwa%20Bader%2C%20Yazeed%20Almajyul%2C%20Khalid%20Bin%20Shaddad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Egypt