Suez Canal Authority via AP
- No, the name of the ship blocking the Suez Canal is not called the "Evergreen."
- Yes, that is what's painted on the side in big letters.
- But the name of the ship is the "Ever Given," and it's owned by the Evergreen Marine Corporation.
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One of the world's largest container ships was beached on Tuesday in the Suez Canal after an unexpected wind and dust storm passed through the area. Over 48 hours later, the ship continues to block off the ever-important global trading route, and provided the internet with lighthearted humor and memes along the way.
The large "EVERGREEN" painted on the side of the vessel, however, has led many to mistakenly believe that's the name of the watercraft. The true name of the enormous container ship is the "Ever Given," and here's why:
The ship is owned by the Evergreen Marine Corp, a Taiwanese container transportation and shipping company that owns 39 shipping vessels. Of its large fleet of ships, 20 are named in the format of "Ever" + [a word that begins with a G]. Other ships owned by Evergreen Marine include the "Ever Goods," "Ever Gaining," and the "Ever Giant."
Tugboats and excavators are currently working to refloat the Ever Given, but the ship's enormous size is proving to be an issue: At 1,300 feet long, the ship is slightly larger than New York City's Empire State Building.
According to a recent Insider report, it may take weeks to dislodge the ship which may force nearby vessels to take a 15,000-mile detour around the tip of Africa to reach their final destinations.