The 200,000-tonne container vessel Ever Given remains wedged in the Suez Canal after several days, creating a serious threat to global trade – already suffering from the pandemic – while experts warn that a solution may still be many days away.

The 400-metre ship ran aground on Tuesday in the crucial maritime passage used for shipping a huge range of products and commodities between continents, from crude oil to coffee beans.

Logistics operators are mulling costly detours for their shipments around Africa, as hundreds of vessels bound for the Egyptian passage are now blocked. With some calling the crisis a “black swan” event – an unexpected development that causes major effects – experts warn that a lingering maritime traffic jam could drive up shipping costs and affect global supply chains.

“Even if the situation is resolved within the next 48 hours, port congestion and further delay to an already constrained supply chain is inevitable,” said Daniel Harlid, a vice president at Moody’s. He added that European car manufacturers are the hardest hit as they import components heavily from Asian factories.

According to media reports, two liquefied natural gas tankers bound for Asia have begun the lengthy detour around the southern tip of Africa.

The international shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd AG has confirmed that it will use the Cape of Good Hope route, following in the footsteps of Synergy Marine, which has already sent ships to go around southern Africa.

The Danish tanker owner Torm A/S said its customers have been asking how much it would cost to use that detour.

The stranded vessel has also disrupted shipments of robusta coffee, as coffee roasters in Europe have been importing beans from East Africa and Asia. Consumers may soon feel the heat if key brands such as Nescafe encounter market shortages.

Only two leading robusta coffee exporters – Brazil and Ivory Coast – do not ship to European customers via the Suez Canal.

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