The Ever Given ship ran aground in the southern part of the Suez Canal, Egypt, on March 26, 2021. (Photo: AFP/VNA) The Ever Given ship is no longer blocking the Suez Canal, but the story doesn’t end there with companies embroiled in a lengthy legal battle related to the event, hoping to “save” it. goods worth hundreds of millions of dollars are still being held on this ship for months. IKEA and Lenovo are two of many companies whose goods were detained on board the Ever Given after the ship was stranded at the airport. Suez Canal for six days in March. Many smaller companies such as the British bicycle manufacturer Pearson 1860 and Snuggy UK also had many important orders stuck on this ship. An Egyptian court has detained the Ever Given and its 18,300 containers after the Suez Canal Authority filed its first petition against the ship’s owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha of Japan, for 916 compensation. million USD for damages and losses caused by the above incident. Therefore, the Ever Given ship and all its cargo are being held at Great Bitter Lake in the canal during the aforementioned legal battle. Many companies have products on ship Ever Given said they were completely unaware of the status of the goods while the proceedings were ongoing, and were not involved in the negotiations surrounding the release of the goods. Even if the parties reach an agreement, these companies or their insurance companies may still be liable for some part of the award. Companies may be forced to spend money under the “General average” clause in international maritime law, under which the parties involved in a shipping voyage are forced to share the costs proportionally if there is a loss. happening. Clyde & Co., a law firm representing companies and insurers with more than $100 million worth of cargo stranded on the Ever Given ship, estimates the total value of the cargo on board at between 600-700 million dollars./.

Container charges increased more than 4 times According to Drewry World, the container freight rate announced on May 27, 2021 for a 40-foot container from Shanghai (China) to Rotterdam (Netherlands) has increased to USD 10,174, up 3.1% from a week earlier and up 485% from a year ago. The global container freight rate index (which includes eight major routes) was up 2%, to $6,257 from a week earlier and 293% higher from a year ago. Freight rates are at their highest levels since 2011. Container freight rates are rising because demand is outstripping supply due to a shortage of 20- and 40-foot containers. In the context of consumer demand and the price of basic raw materials, commodities increased sharply, leading many businesses to increase stockpiling of goods, disruption from the congestion of the Suez Canal at the end of March 2021. Port congestion is causing delays and higher costs for shippers, while ocean carriers enjoy sky-high profits. According to the chairman of a seafood processing company, it is estimated that the freight rate of container ships from Vietnam to Europe has increased more than four times, from 1,700-1,800 USD/container to 7,000-8,000 USD/container compared to before the epidemic occurred. out. Freight rates to the East Coast of the United States have increased more than 1.7 times, from 4,500 USD to 8,000 – 10,000 USD/container. Opportunities are not spread evenly On the listed stock exchange today, the number of enterprises providing shipping services is relatively small. Enterprises such as Hai An Transport and Loading Joint Stock Company (code HAH), PetroVietnam Transportation Joint Stock Corporation (code PVT), Vietnam Shipping Joint Stock Company (code) can be mentioned immediately. VOS)… The shipping market share is still mainly in the hands of foreign enterprises. At PVT, in recent years, the business has continuously pursued a fleet rejuvenation strategy to increase business efficiency, by the end of 2020 owns a fleet of 34 ships. The company operates mainly in the field of transporting crude oil, oil products, transporting LPG…, products related to the parent company is the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN). Therefore, PVT is not able to decide on freight prices, leading to stable gross profit margin and no growth, although oil prices and freight rates have fluctuated in recent years. At VOS, as of December 31, 2020, the company owns a fleet of 12 ships with a total tonnage of 405,112 dwt, including 8 dry and bulk cargo ships; 2 product tankers and 2 container ships. In addition, the enterprise also periodically leases a number of ships to maintain regular fleet operations of 12-14 ships. VOS’s fleet operates regularly in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, West Africa, Australia, South America… However, the disadvantage of VOS is that the fleet is quite old and has not been renewed due to its financial potential. limited, while import-export businesses often require larger shipments and prefer new generation fleets. HAH owns this advantage, when continuously investing in new ships from 2014 up to now. The Company’s fleet includes 8 ships, serving both domestic and international routes. At the shareholders’ meeting in 2021, HAH’s Board of Directors shared that they continue to plan to invest in more fleets to increase the number of domestic flights, and maintain and develop 2 import and export cargo trips to Hong Kong and Singapore. . In the first quarter of this year, HAH recorded revenue of 359 billion dong, profit after tax of 85.5 billion dong, up 28.4% and 174% respectively over the same period last year. Gross profit margin increased sharply from 19.2% to 27%. After the first 3 months of the year, HAH has completed up to 54.1% of the year’s profit plan. The business said that profit growth was positive in the first quarter of 2021 due to the fact that sea transport activities have started with positive signs and increased transportation demand from the last 6 months of 2020. Along with the company’s investment in the HA View vessel in August 2020, the output of Hai An fleet increased by more than 50% compared to the same period last year. The increase in fleet volume leads to an increase in the output of port operations and depots. Besides, the increase in freight rates and the decrease in raw material prices also had a positive impact on profits.

The Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias first crossed here in 1488. He named it “Storm Cape”. Later, the king of Portugal changed its name to “Nose of Good Hope”. The entire southern part of the Cape peninsula is a national park that is wild, rolling hills, beautiful scenery and has not been ravaged by human hands. The Cape of Good Hope has been considered a place that hasn’t changed much in the last 500 years, since the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeo Dias discovered it. The route around Cape Hope is important, but the waters next to it are still a known danger in the world. South of Cape Hope is an area with strong westerly winds, on the immense sea surface there is nothing to cover, so the waves are big Before the Suez Canal was built in 1869, the Cape of Good Hope was the only sea route between Europe and Asia. A lighthouse is built on top of a mountain 249 meters above sea level. However, it is often covered by clouds, so it has been decommissioned since 1911, after a shipwreck accident. This place is only open to tourists to enjoy the view. Another lighthouse was built as a replacement, just over 80 meters above sea level. Coming here, visitors’ emotions surged: the greatness, generosity, romance of nature; the gentleness, the blue, the charm of the sea; boundless love, hope, human creative labor. Cape of Good Hope is the most beautiful destination, not to be missed when coming to South Africa.

Tourists experience in salt mountains through the prism of photographer Mohamed Wardany. Photo: CNN The salt mountains in Port Fouad are now becoming a tourist attraction because of the amplified images that make viewers feel that you are having an extremely enjoyable experience with white snow. Egyptian photographer Mohamed Wardany told CNN that visitors can take a ferry across the Suez Canal to experience the salt city. Many tourists gather at the foot of the salt mountain. Photo: CNN According to Mr. Wardany, images of Egypt’s “snowy” mountains are part of an ongoing project to promote Egypt from a different perspective. The tourism industry of this country hopes that this idea will help visitors see a new image of Egyptian tourism instead of just thinking about the mysterious Pyramids every time they come to this country. Salt mountain destination in Egypt is becoming more popular than ever. Photo: CNN With pure white color and bright, Mr. Wardany said that the mountains are like the white snow peaks in the Arctic. Although the space may lack icy temperatures, it does not lose its special appeal to visitors. Experiencing with salt mountains will help the body feel more refreshing because salt has healing properties and removes negative energy from the body, Mr. Wardany affirmed. The mountains filled with salt. Photo: CNN The photographer also advised everyone: “Go to the salt mountain in winter to experience a real icy feeling”. Tourists enjoy the white color of “snow”. Photo: CNN

For the procession of the mummies to the new “home”, the authorities closed the streets along the Nile. The convoy passed through the main roads in Cairo, and was greeted with 21 cannons when reaching the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. This museum also officially opened yesterday, April 3. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was present at the welcome ceremony. The convoy carrying 22 Egyptian pharaohs went along the capital Cairo. Photo: RT Performing art performance at the foot of the pyramid. Photo: RT Photo: RT Photo: RT Photo: RT Overview of the procession. Source: RT Archaeologist Zahi Hawass said each mummy was stored in a special casket filled with nitrogen to ensure no damage. These casks were placed on sturdy golden wagons to minimize shaking. “We chose the Civilization Museum because we wanted to display the mummies scientifically, not just for viewing as in the Egyptian Museum,” Mr. Hawass said. Car carrying the mummy of King Ramesses V. Photo: Reuters The mummies were discovered during two excavations in 1871 at Deir Al Bahari in Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. The oldest mummy is Seqenenre Tao, the last king of the 17th Dynasty, who reigned in the 16th century BC and is believed to have died. In addition, in the “parade” group there are mummies of Ramses II, Seti I and Ahmose-Nefertari. In recent weeks, Egypt has experienced a series of unfortunate incidents – including the congestion of the Suez Canal, a fatal train crash, a garment factory fire and a building collapse. apartment. These incidents “revive” the myth of the “curse of the pharaoh”. However, with 18 ancient kings and four queens finally settling down in the new and spacious home, perhaps no one will ever repeat the goosebumps again.

1. The strongest earthquake in Nepal that killed more than 7300 people and injured more than 14,000 occurred on April 25 of which year? Icon 2014 Icon 2015 Icon 2016 The correct answer is answer B: The 2015 Nepal Earthquake is a magnitude 7.8 or 8.1 magnitude (Mw) earthquake that occurred on Saturday, April 25, 2015, with an epicenter of about 29 kilometers. (18 miles) east-southeast Lamjung, Nepal at a depth of about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). This is the strongest earthquake occurred in Nepal since the 1934 earthquake in this country. It is estimated that more than 9,000 deaths have been found and more than 22,000 people have been injured by the earthquake in Nepal and the surrounding areas of India, China and Bangladesh. Millions of people lost their homes, and at the same time flattened many centuries-old temples. 2. April 25, 1792 – What reason did Nicolas J. Pelletier become the first person to be executed by the guillotine? Icon Nicolas J. Pelletier attacks tourists Icon Nicolas J. Pelletier killed the king Icon Nicolas J. Pelletier poisoned people in the royal family The correct answer is Answer A: Like the gas chamber, the guillotine is first introduced to the world as a form of humane execution. Evan Andrews of History notes that the guillotine was named after Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin in late 1789. Guillotin personally disagreed with the whole idea of ​​the death penalty, but he argued that beheading was equal. the machine will be much more humane than Thrones Style beheading Game with a sword or ax. At that time, sword or ax beheadings were frequent and essentially inhumane. The first guillotine execution was a revolution, not just a new method of execution. This method was first used during the French Revolution, which is famous for having at least 40,000 people killed with guillotines. Some of the famous executions include King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Maximilien Robespierre, one of the early leaders of the French Revolution and the catalyst behind the Dynasty of Terror, was also executed by guillotine. From June to July 1794, 1,400 enemies of the French Revolution were killed with guillotines. But the first person killed by the guillotine was not a member of the royal family or anyone famous from afar. It is an ordinary criminal and a highway rider named Nicolas Jacques Pelletier. Pelletier, according to Marc Estier in The Good Doctor Guillotin, was convicted of assaulting a tourist and killing him. This is the story of the first guillotine execution, and the precedent it sets for the guillotine throughout history. 3. Which of the following famous canals is construction on April 25, 1859? Icon Panama Canal Icon Suez Canal The correct answer is answer B: April 25, 1859 was the day when the construction of the Suez Canal began to connect the Mediterranean and the Red Sea in what is now Egypt. The Suez Canal man-made traffic channel is located on the territory of Egypt, running in a north-south direction passing through the Suez Strait in northeastern Egypt, it connects the Mediterranean with the Gulf of Suez, a branch of the Red Sea. The canal provides a shortcut for ships passing through Europe-America ports to ports in southern Asia, ports in eastern Africa and Oceania. The canal was started on April 25, 1859 and completed on November 17, 1869. When completed, the Suez Canal was 193.30 kilometers (120.11 miles) long, the narrowest section was 60 meters, and a depth of 24 m is enough to allow a large vessel of 250,000 tons to pass. This 164 km long route has permanently changed the history of international sea transport, helping ships not to pass through the southern tip of Africa, shortening 6000 km. 4. What year was Hong Duc atlas published on April 25? Icon 1490 Icon 1491 Icon 1492 The correct answer is answer A: 1490 – Hong Duc atlas published. Hong Duc Map, ie Hong Duc map book (kanji: 洪德 版圖 冊), sometimes called geographic Hong Duc is a set of geographic maps of Dai Viet issued in the reign of King Le Thanh Tong, the 21st year of Hong Duc (ie 1490). This is considered the first set of geographic maps made by the feudal state of Vietnam. The Hong Duc map was made in the 8th year of Quang Thuan (1467) when King Le Thanh Tong ordered his captains to draw maps and send them to the Ministry of Ho. The map was completed and issued in the 21st year of Hong Duc (1490). However, the original set of the map has been lost. The atlas shows the scope of the boundaries and administrative system of Dai Viet in the second half of the 15th century. 5. Who is the author of the song selected as the national anthem of the French Republic? Icon A famous musician Icon An officer Icon A writer The correct answer is answer B: April 25, 1792 – Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle composed La Marseillaise after the Austrian emperor declared war on France, later selected as the national anthem of the French Republic. Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (1760–1836) was an officer in the French engineer force. His name is associated with the song “La Marseillaise”, the French national anthem, composed in April 1792 in Strassburg. He was born on 10 / 5,1760 in Lons-le-Saunier, Jura, France and died on June 26, 1836 in Choisy-le-Roi, Seine-et-Oise, France. 6. What year was Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe adventure story first published on April 25 of the year? Icon 1719 Icon 1720 Icon 1721 The correct answer is answer A: Robinson Crusoe (Vietnamese translation name: Ro-Bin-xon Cru-Buck) is a novel by English writer Daniel Defoe (1660-1731), full English name: The life and strange surprising adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner (Vietnamese meaning: Life and interesting adventures of Robinson Crusoe, the sailor of York). This is the best of more than two hundred and fifty works of long stories and short stories by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1719 when the author was nearly sixty years old. Its success prompted Defoe to write more “post-stories” for this and many other amazing adventures by pirates, wanderers and gang girls. 7. On April 25, 1882, the French captured Hanoi, causing which of the following Governor-General to commit suicide? Icon Hoang Dieu Icon Nguyen Tri Phuong The correct answer is the answer A: The Battle of Hanoi 1882, also known as the Second Hanoi Battle, was part of the French-Vietnamese war (1858-1884) that took place on April 25, 1882. This is the battle. fought between the French under the command of Henri Rivìere against Hanoi citadel, with the Southern forces commanded by General Director Hoang Dieu. As a result, Hanoi citadel fell quickly after a few hours of shooting, General Hoang Dieu committed suicide. Result Please work harder! point

West Bank, and… Arctic Ocean One thing is easy to see: When the Egyptian dredgers devote themselves to “working day and night” to bring that 400m long and 220,000-ton ship back into the ocean, they don’t just forget to sleep. because the Suez Canal is one of the country’s greatest pride, not only because there is $ 9 billion of cargo stuck every day, but because the circulation of boats on the Suez Canal is closely related. to their own piece of rice. As Eslam Negm – an Egyptian sailor involved in dredging and rescue – shared: “We – that is the majority of Egyptians – live off this canal”. From there, no need for accurate data, anyone can imagine the huge profits that this artery maritime route brings. And therefore, it should not be surprising, given the immediate alternatives to the Suez Canal (or at least the worst case scenario) proposed in the vehicles. international mass news. First is Israel. According to The Arab Weekly on March 30, 2021, the congestion of the Suez Canal prompted discussion of alternatives to the Suez Canal – including Israel’s Ben Gurion Canal project linking the Red Sea. with the Mediterranean (also known as the Israel Canal) – come alive. The Israelis see this route as a competitor to the Suez Canal. Tel Aviv intends to turn the Israeli canal into a multifaceted project, such as building small towns, hotels, restaurants and nightclubs around the waterway. Outline of the Israeli canal project. Before that, on March 25, Business Insider (USA) announced the content of a secret memo written in 1963, which was declassified in 1996. Accordingly, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory of America used to study a project using nuclear explosions to dig a 160-mile (257 km) canal across the Negev desert in Israel, connecting the Mediterranean with the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea (Red Sea). Historian Alex Wellerstein – who also mentioned that profile on his personal social networking site Twitter – thinks this is a model option. However, in 1967, when the Arab-Israeli war broke out, the Suez Canal had to be closed for eight years, no one said anything about the Israeli canal. That is not difficult to understand, because in the 60s of the last century, trade activities as well as the volume of goods and especially the interdependence of all factors are not rich and diverse. form, development, complexity … as present – 21st century. The problem is: Because of the implications of nuclear radiation, there is no guarantee that neighboring (and still skeptical or hostile) Muslim Arab countries will allow Israel to redeploy the mining project. Ben Gurion channel. Meanwhile, when 380 ships were waiting at the Suez Canal, Russia announced: Bringing the project of the Northern maritime route along the North North Ocean connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, and committed Russia will ensure the safety of this new traffic route, as well as ensure that transportation costs will be cheaper. This sea route shortens 40% of the journey from China to Egypt to Europe, and the journey time is less than 15 days. Due to climate change, the amount of floating ice on the above line is less and less, the travel will be easier and easier. The Russian side pledged to let the icebreaker come to save any merchant who got caught in the ice on the way. Russia alone plans to use this maritime route to export its oil and gas. Those are the inevitable movements stemming from the fact, when everyone has seen how vulnerable the modern global supply chain is. That fact makes any country have conditions to prepare a backup plan, at the same time looking for opportunities to startle on the logistic “piece of cake”. Eternal aura However, we can believe that every Suez Canal project may not be of reference value, but will never achieve its goal of completely replacing the 193.3 long sea journey. km, connecting the Hong Hai with the Mediterranean. Just as the Panama Canal passing through Central America connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific, history and reality give the Suez Canal an incomparable position, by any competitor. Compared with the northern maritime route that Russia is planning to deploy, the absolute advantage of the Suez Canal is not not afraid of freezing in winter, but … near the “oil navel” of the planet. The position on the European – Asia – African junction of the Suez Canal is also extremely important, when North Africa – Middle East has never been a “hot spot”, never a place in the Middle East. The world’s leading power mind competes for influence on the global geopolitical map. Above all, the Mediterranean is the most important commercial center (if not the most important commercial center) of humankind since ancient times, also the site of a series of ancient civilizations. . 19,000 ships pass through the Suez Canal each year Israel may still proceed with the digging of the Ben Gurion Canal. However, “human peace” will be the biggest obstacle facing the Jewish state. On March 29, when Egyptian President El Sisi announced: “Egypt has succeeded in ending the crisis of the ship stranded in the Suez Canal, and bringing everything back to normal. This is all about it.” the world is reassured about the transportation of goods and their needs through this lifeline “, it can be said that he has made all the friendly Muslim Arab states reassured to” ignore them. “with every other alternative, especially the idea of ​​using another canal to benefit Israel. Old habits and relationships, whatever you say, always play a core role, even in terms of interests. Of course, Egypt would have to do much better than its part, to make sure as much as possible that an incident like the Ever Given ship ran aground – that is, the global supply chain was interrupted by a very windy night. But, of course, the era when famous maritime restaurants such as Vasco da Gama, Bartholomeus Diaz or Ferdinand Magenllan had to go around the Cape of Good Hope in the southern end of Africa to reach India was also far in the past. . Mankind will not return to those days, but it is not necessary to have another way, after more than 100 years familiar with the Suez winds … * Every year, the Suez Canal brings Egypt an average profit of about $ 6 billion, with about 19,000 ships passing, carrying goods equivalent to 10% of the total global trade turnover. In 2020, under the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the paralysis of the global trade machine, this figure will still reach USD 5.61 billion. * Since digging canals by traditional methods will be extremely expensive, the Americans are expected to use the Peaceful Nuclear Explosions (Pneums) method. This is a viable option, because this nearly 160-mile canal, 130 miles of uninhabited desert, could have nuclear detonation. According to calculations, to dig each mile of the canal, it is necessary to detonate 4 nuclear devices (temporarily called the atomic bomb) of the size of 2 million tons of TNT. So a total of 520 atomic bombs or 1.04 billion tons of TNT need to be detonated to dig this canal.

This is good news for the whole world, because the Suez Canal is a vital maritime route for international trade. But during the nearly 1 week of being trapped, how great of the damage has you caused, are you curious? Let’s take a look at some prominent numbers, to see how sensitive the world economy is in fact. Huge numbers The Ever Given is a super ship of over 400 meters long, weighs more than 220,000 tons, can carry a maximum of 20,000 containers. At the time of jam, the ship was carrying a total of 18,300 containers. The ship is operated by shipping company Evergreen Marine based in Taiwan (China), and is among the largest in the world. The ship has been stranded since March 23 while entering the Suez Canal from the Red Sea. After hitting the shore, it ran aground and turned sideways, blocking the canal. Initially, it was thought that the wind was too strong, but the SCA believes this is not the only reason. More investigation will be needed to find out whether the main cause is technical or human impact. And also because of the jam that alone on Sunday (March 28), there are about 369 ships waiting at both ends of the canal, waiting for the time to pass the 193km long route, although it is unknown when. Run with time Over the weekend, 14 tugboats were mobilized to pull Ever Given out of the strand. Thanks to this, it has rotated “slightly” about 30 degrees. On March 29, after the media reported that the ship had begun to re-float, the SCA announced that Ever Given was completely rescued. According to the SCA, they will keep the ship operating during high tide – a condition required to put the ship back in the middle of the route and clear the canal. Some small boats have begun to move, but others will have to wait a long time, said Richard Mead, chief executive of shipping company Lloyd’s List. “We are seeing about 450 ships waiting to cross the canal. It will take quite a while to resolve this congestion.” Scary damage 12% of world trade, about 1 million barrels of oil and 8% of liquefied natural gas – those are the numbers the Canal is responsible for each day. According to SCA President Osama Rabie, the canal’s revenue lost between 14 million and 15 million dollars per day. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, maritime operations through the Suez Canal contributed up to 2 percent of Egypt’s GDP. Meanwhile, data from Lloyd’s List shows that the damage from the congestion is estimated at around $ 9.6 billion a day – $ 400 million per hour, and $ 6.7 million per minute. Looking at the bigger picture, global trade suffers losses ranging from $ 6 billion to $ 10 billion a week, according to insurance company Allianz. At the same time, the trade growth decreased by 0.2% to 0.4%. The cost of chartering a ship from Asia to the Middle East increased by 47%, to $ 2.2 million. Some shipping lines have chosen to detour to avoid the Suez Canal – such as through Cape Hao Vong. This means that travel times, costs and fuel will also increase, affecting a wide variety of industries – from retail, supermarkets to manufacturers around the world. The exact amount of damage is really difficult to calculate until the canal is fully cleared and the trade continues. Many UK companies have said they are still waiting to know when the goods will arrive. Some even have stock right on the ship Ever Given. Although the ship was freed, some expressed concern as the canal was still congested. Many companies even think of using air for transportation, which means the cost will be tripled. Perhaps, it is very rare that the world has seen such a tremendous impact from a stranded ship. Source: BBC

Before the ship was successfully rescued, the photo became the raw material for netizens to create photos around the trapped Panama flag super ship. The excavator becomes small when standing next to the ship Ever Given. Photo: Reuters. Mission Impossible Abdelgawad, 26, is an excavator worker working in the Suez Canal, earning about $ 190 a month. At 7:00 a.m. on March 23 (local time), he started the shift as usual. However, the entrance to the workplace was locked and no one was allowed in. “I asked the security guard and he said there was a ship stuck in the canal,” said Abdelgawad. Later, he and his colleagues returned to the workers’ lodging in the al-Arbain area, about a 30-minute drive from the workplace. An hour later, Abdelgawad received a call from his manager, asking him to quickly go to the east bank of the Suez Canal. A car from the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) was waiting outside the door. “I told the manager I could not enter the work area because it seemed a boat was stuck in the canal. He told me that I would go there for the sake of this ship, ”said the 26-year-old excavator driver. “When I got there, I saw that the excavator had been loaded onto the truck so that I could get closer to the bow. Going more than 1 kilometer, my heart started beating hard “. “SCA engineers told me about the incident. With 8 years of experience working in the canal, I realized that perhaps it was necessary to suck up all the mud and sand clinging to the bottom of the boat and dig deep from both sides of the ship because the bow was buried deeply in the sand, ”said Abdelgawad. Under this option, the excavator would have to dig more than 15 m deep, while the dredging ships would have to suck up all of the sediment that clinging to underneath so that the ship floated again. The Ever Given was trapped in the middle of the Suez Canal. Photo: Getty. Real life hero Abdelgawad, alone, diligently steered the excavator through the layers of sand under the giant ship. He worked non-stop until the afternoon of March 24, when someone else came to replace him. During 5 consecutive days, he only rested for 3-4 hours per day. “I sat in the excavator and looked up, the ship popped up like a skyscraper. When I started the engine, my heart beat the hardest. Everyone was worried about me for working right underneath my baby. Such a giant ship is extremely dangerous, “said Abdelgawad. “I was scared, but still determined to continue. I’m just worried that if something unfortunate happens, how will my father and family live. He only has me as a boy, the rest are two sisters, “he said. Abdelgawad poses next to the excavator. Photo: Abdelgawad. “The sediment layer crumbles into pieces both on the surface and settles down to form very large sediments. If the ship is tilted to a certain degree, me and the little excavator will be crushed by it. I felt like a soldier in real battle, ”said Abdelgawad. On the side of the Abdelgawad family, they kept calling the excavator crew to inquire about his situation every day. Meanwhile, many people have posted photos of the single excavator standing next to the giant super ship Ever Given on social networks and accompanied by ridicule. “They posted it online and laughed at the excavator and I, tacitly said that all my efforts were hopeless. I felt very sad, but I quickly forgot about it with the efforts of the entire rescue team. has been paid back. The ship re-floated on March 29. ” “I captured that great moment and posted it on Facebook. It felt like I had won a war,” said Abdelgawad. Returning to the small village of Danjwan, located on the outskirts of Shirbin city (Daqhaliyah province) Abdelgawad is greeted as a hero. The villagers shouted his name and celebrated. “I know that I have done something great for the country. My dad said he was very proud of me. My life has changed completely, ”said the 26-year-old man.

26-year-old excavator driver Abdallah Abdelgawad The incident attracted worldwide attention. As a very important trade route for the world economy, the temporary closure of the canal caused the name Suez to appear in newspapers and social media posts. Photo: Reuters The size difference was too great between the two objects The image shared with dizzying speed of a small excavator trying to rescue the giant ship has surprised many people. The huge difference in the size of the two objects makes one think of an ant trying to get an elephant out of troubled waters. Abdallah Abdelgawad, who operated the small excavator, did not expect to become famous on social media one day. However, from anonymity, he actually became a star widely praised. At 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 23, Abdelgawad arrived at his workplace as usual. However, the gates are closed and prohibited from entering. “I asked a person and he said there was a boat blocking the canal,” said Abdelgawad, 26. He and his colleagues returned to their residence at Al Arbain, 30 minutes away. An hour later, Abdelgawad received a call from his manager, asking him to immediately go to the east bank of the canal. A Suez Canal Authority car was waiting to take him away. “I told him we were not allowed into the work site because a ship was blocking the channel,” the manager said. “You will come to work on that ship,” recalled Abdelgawad. While the authorities attempted to rescue the ship, Abdelgawad alone dug the silt under the giant ship’s bow. He worked nonstop for more than a day until someone else changed his shift. For the next 5 days, he only had 3-4 hours of rest in each working day to clear the maritime route connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. After extraordinary efforts, including a contribution from Abdelgawad, the super ship Ever Given was successfully rescued. In those days, when his family was worried about his health and phoned every day to inquire, pictures of the giant ship by the excavator were circulating on the Internet. “On social media, they said the excavator and me with the ship were like” ants and an elephant. ” At first I was sad, but then it felt normal that we were finally able to rescue the ship, ”Abdelgawad said in an interview. “On Monday, I was really exhausted. But when the ship was successfully rescued, I caught a video as it started to move,” he said proudly. My Facebook account and said that this achievement is due to my tiny miner. I feel as if I have won a war, “he added. Abdallah Abdelgawad takes a selfie with his excavator. – Photo: Facebook Abdallah Abdelgawad Abdallah Abdelgawad poses with workers at the spot along the Suez Canal, where the container ship Ever Given was stranded. Abdelgawad is paid 3,000 Egyptian pounds ($ 190) a month for his work as a excavator. After this incident, he was greeted as a “hero” when he returned to his small village on the outskirts of the city of Shirbin in Daqhaliyah province. “I know I did something big, when everyone gathered around me I felt proud and my dad said,” You made me proud. ” My phone still keeps ringing. I want to sleep, but I can’t sleep, ”he laughed. “My life has changed because of those pictures.” Even though his social media posts have earned him popularity, Abdelgawad has a message he wants to reach out to all those who mock him. “Don’t make fun of the weak or look down on them. This tiny excavator played a huge role in moving a ship more than 500 times its size. Now, I feel extremely proud of what I have done. I hope you all are proud of me too. ” Said Abdelgawad.

Egypt is demanding compensation of $ 900 million for the days-long blockade of the Suez Canal by the container ship “Ever Given” – and has confiscated the ship as security. That said the chief of the canal authority, Ossama Rabie, the newspaper “Al-Ahram”. The “Ever Given” had blocked the important trade route from March 23rd to 29th. The ship was initially caught in a sandstorm and ran aground. Then the 400-meter-long colossus was stuck across the narrow canal. In front of and behind it, more than 400 ships were stowed.

Up to $ 15 million in damage a day

In the six days that it took to get the “Ever Given” released, Egypt missed high income from the canal fees – according to the authorities, between 12 and 15 million dollars per day. In addition, according to Rabie, there were additional maintenance costs and costs for work to tow the ship free. According to Allianz insurance, the accident caused costs of six to ten billion dollars worldwide. The “Ever Given” belongs to the Japanese company Shoei Kisen Kaisha and sails under the Panamanian flag. The chief of the canal authority said the ship would remain confiscated until the requested amount was received.

Abdullah Abdul-Gawad and the “tiny” excavator. Photo: BI

But what happened five days later is quite the opposite.

Ever Given – a container ship the size of a skyscraper was stranded on the banks of the canal on March 23. And Abdul-Gawad’s boss immediately called him to the scene.

“We need you to get in the car and come now because you are the only excavator driver nearby,” the leader told the 28-year-old male employee, who has been driving the excavator since college.

Abdul-Gawad vs “monster”

Liberating Ever Given was a combined effort, with winch, tugboat and excavator. But Abdul-Gawad was the one who really faced the problem. Once at the base of the ship, Abdul-Gawad had no choice but to start digging.

According to his estimates, the bow of Ever Given was stuck below about 6 meters of ground. The stern is also caught on the opposite shore. The ship blocked the Suez Canal, blocking all traffic.

The image of a tiny excavator facing a giant ship made many people laugh. But for Abdul-Gawad the situation is much less humorous. It is really dangerous.

The dreadful contrast between the size of the Ever Given ship and the size of Abdul-Gawad’s excavator. Photo: BI

Taking on the task of shoveling to release the bow, just a small mistake by Abdul-Gawad could cause the ship carrying tens of thousands of containers to collapse.

“I was afraid that the ship would be too tilted on one side or the other. If it leans on me, goodbye the excavator, goodbye Abdul-Gawad.

If you see the contrast between the size of the ship and the size of the excavator, you will find it very frightening. ”

Two other excavators were dispatched to the scene a few days later, but the drivers were too scared to do what Abdul-Gawad was doing. Instead, they were just sticking around clearing the rock that Abdul-Gawad dug.

21 hours / day

Wearing thin flip flops, Abdul-Gawad undertook digging for hours. When the tugs are active, Abdul-Gawad will receive a radio signal to temporarily retreat away.

“But you know, until I dig 5 or 6 meters, there’s still no movement.”

Photo: BI

When pictures of Abdul-Gawad’s excavator began to appear on the Internet, he said he felt as if “people were just making fun of me.”

“And that’s what made me more determined. I think, you’re making fun of me so I’ll prove I can do this. ”

Abdul-Gawad said that for several days, he and his colleagues were only allowed to rest at a barracks of border guards nearby.

“They know that if we go home, we won’t be back in about eight or nine hours,” he said.

Abdul-Gawad and his colleagues only slept about three hours a night. One day, only one hour of sleep.

Success

On March 25, a dedicated dredger – Mashhour – participated in the rescue effort Ever Given. Abdul-Gawad’s job at this time was to move soil, rock and sand from the bow of the ship to another place, while the Mashhour knocked silt off the canal.

This concerted effort – with the help of a high tide – brought hopeful signs the next day. And finally, the campaign was successful on March 29. The image of the Ever Given boat escaping made all the workers shout, and the tugboats honk to celebrate.

Abdul-Gawad said he and his colleagues were “half alive from exhaustion.”

“We were pushed to our limits,” said Abdul-Gawad. “But the moment we saw Ever Given off to sea, all fatigue seemed to vanish.”

Field survey officials. Photo: BI

Scary silence

The Suez Canal is a source of pride in Egypt, being called “Egypt’s Gift to the World” on billboards when it expanded in 2015.

President of Egypt – Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared: “The Egyptians have ended the crisis of the ship stranded Ever Given despite all difficulties.”

But Abdul-Gawad said he hardly attended any of the celebrations. Apart from a small ceremony held by a newspaper, Abdul-Gawad received little or no official recognition for his role.

“I was invited to a ceremony, where they honor the people who took the ships out to sea.” But it is primarily intended for Suez Canal Authority employees, not including Abdul-Gawad because he works for a subcontractor.

Invitations were also sent to Abdul-Gawad at the last minute only. Because the celebration took place in a city four hours away by car. And Abdul-Gawad received an invitation an hour and a half earlier.

Abdul-Gawad said he felt deeply hurt.

“The Suez Canal Authority patted himself on the chest that they have done a great job. But in the end, without an excavator, the ship wouldn’t go anywhere. It can still get stuck. ”

Image of the jam seen from satellite. Photo: Maxar

In an interview on April 8, Abdul-Gawad said that he and his colleagues still have not received overtime pay, even though they work more than 21 hours a day.

However, Abdul-Gawad said he will look back on those extraordinary days with pride.

“This is an achievement,” he said. “At first it was an achievement for Egypt, but it was also an achievement for me. This event can only happen once in my life. Twice at most. It is something to be proud of.”

The modern world is being “digitized” at a rapid rate. Almost every service, every industry, from finance, industrial enterprises, … to the armed forces, is already networked at one level or another. In the “smart home” with TVs, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, microwave ovens …, and even smart light bulbs are becoming common; On the street, there were the first cars with autonomous driving systems.

Such devices are expected to make people’s lives easier, but certainly these technologies will also be applied in other areas as well. While digital systems and services make the quality of human life much better, in theory all digital systems can be hacked – which is already in practice. positive.

Computer virus

Theoretical basis for the development of the “computer virus” was formed almost simultaneously with the emergence of the computer itself in the mid-20th century. In 1961, engineers Viktor Vysotsky, Doug McIlroy and Robert Morris of the Room Bell’s telephone experiment had developed programs that could make copies of themselves – the first viruses. They are created in the form of a game that engineers call “Darwin”, the purpose of which is to send bots to friends to see which will destroy more of the competitors’ programs and create more copies of itself to fill someone else’s computer.

Cyber ​​weapons are said to be equally complex and are weapons of mass destruction; Source: topwar.ru

In 1981, Virus 1,2,3 and Elk Cloner appeared on Apple II personal computers; a few years later, the first anti-virus programs appeared. The word “computer virus” in fact includes many types of malware: worms, hijackers (rootkits), spyware, zombies, adware, virus blocking (winlock), Trojan viruses (trojans) and their combination. If the first viruses are often written for entertainment, over time they begin to be “commercialized” – to steal personal and financial data, disrupt device operations, encrypt the data. for the purpose of blackmail …

With the advent of electronic money, computer viruses received a new function – bringing the user’s computer “as a slave” to mining cryptocurrency, forming a huge network of computers. botnet infection (before that, botnet also existed, such as to send spam mail or DDoS attack). Opportunities like this cannot help but make the military and intelligence agencies in general with missions – steal something, destroy something …, care.

Computer virus – a strategic weapon

On June 17, 2010, for the first time in history, the win32 / Stuxnet virus – a computer worm that infects not only computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, but also industrial systems that control the processes. automatic production, detected. This worm can be used as a means of gathering unauthorized data (spying) and sabotaging automated process control systems (APCS) of industrial enterprises, power plants, boilers, etc.

According to cybersecurity experts, this virus is the most complex software product, developed by a professional team of dozens of experts. In terms of complexity, it can be compared to a Tomahawk cruise missile, and is designed for cyber operations. The Stuxnet virus has damaged some uranium enrichment centrifuges, slowing down Iran’s nuclear program. Intelligence agencies of Israel and the US are suspected of developing the Stuxnet virus.

Industrial facilities, infrastructure, services … all can be targets of cyber weapons; Source: topwar.ru

Later, other computer viruses were discovered, with a degree of complexity similar to that of win32 / Stuxnet (most suspected of being an Israeli / US product), such as: Duqu, designed to collect confidential data in a confidential manner; Wiper (late April 2012), destroyed all information on some of the servers of one of the largest oil companies in Iran and completely paralyzed its work for a few days; Flame, a spy virus, is believed to be developed specifically for attacks on Iran’s computer infrastructure (can identify mobile devices with Bluetooth module, track location, stealing confidential information and eavesdropping on conversations); Gauss, aimed at stealing financial information: e-mail, passwords, bank account data, cookies, as well as system configuration data; Maadi (suspected of Iran) – can collect information, remotely change computer parameters, record audio and transmit it to remote users …

Application

In the Middle East, for example, the largest producer of liquid natural gas (LNG), has an interest that seriously conflicts with the interests of another country. The Middle East country has a network of oil and gas pipelines, LNG production lines and a fleet of Q-Flex and Q-Max tankers designed to transport LNG and has a military base of the third country. three are on its territory. An armed attack directly on a Middle Eastern country could do more harm than good. Then, the solution might be the use of cyber weapons.

Modern oil and container ships are becoming more and more automated; No less automation is used in LNG plants. Therefore, specialized malware is loaded into the control systems of the Q-Flex and Q-Max tankers, or their LPG storage systems, theoretically permissible at a certain time ( or on an external command, if there is a network connection) creates an artificial accident that completely or partially destroys selected tanks / tanks. It is very likely that flaws in the LNG production process lead to neutralization, including potentially destroying the plant.

Cyber ​​weapons can easily have the same effects as the recent Suez Canal clogging; Source: topwar.ru

An explosion of an LNG carrier due to an accident at the entrance to a port or the failure of the LNG storage device can not only result in damage to the vessel itself, but also damage to coastal infrastructure. The goals could therefore be: undermine the energy supplier’s reputation, with the possibility of consumers reorienting the natural gas market of another country; increasing prices for world energy sources, helping to generate more revenue for the national budget; undermining political activity and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries in the region, due to a decrease in the financial capacity of the country in question.

Depending on the economic damage inflicted, a complete shift in ruling elites could occur, as well as a limited conflict between that state and its neighbors, who may want to take advantage of neighboring countries’ weaknesses to change the balance of power in the region. The crux of this activity is secrecy, so that there is no direct blame without clear evidence. The United States has repeatedly been accused of conducting hostile operations against even its most staunchest allies.

Another option for using cyber weapons has been suggested by a recent incident. A giant ship – an oil tanker or a container ship, passing through a narrow canal, suddenly the control system gives out a series of commands to dramatically change the direction and speed of movement, resulting in the ship spinning break and completely block the channel. It can even be flipped, making it extremely time-consuming and costly to rescue it. The Evergreen Group’s container ship blocking the Suez Canal shows how congestion of shipping arteries affects the global economy. It is especially effective if such incidents occur simultaneously on several channels.

Or most recently, Iran is accusing Israel of terrorizing its Natanz nuclear base network … In the absence of a clear trace of the culprit, it would be extremely difficult to establish – anyone can also be blamed for this. Therefore, the development of industrial-scale cyber weapons is considered to be a top priority. Information technology along with nanotechnology and biotechnology are the cornerstones of dominance in the 21st century, but the development of cyber weapons is much cheaper than the development of promising nano biotechnology. and conventional modern weapons ./.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel relates it to an artery blockage that caused capitalism’s heart attack. An association could not be more relevant. Ever Given gets stuck, but that’s not just its own business. Nearly 400 other ships that wanted to cross Suez were also stuck, causing $ 9.6 billion in trade value to stall.

Obviously no ships were sunk and the cargo will arrive sooner or later but they are slow. Slowly, that’s how capitalism has changed man’s notion of time. If you asked someone who lived in the 17th century about a timetable, they would wonder what the hell you were asking about. Until the 18th century, people just invented a timetable to manage train times. But, it was not until the late 19th and early 20th centuries that industrialists had to optimize it and bring it into economics as an indicator of efficiency. That is, it was only when the capitalists appeared that the expression “time is money” was born.

The image of the pitiful little bulldozer is rescuing the Ever Given super ship into a photo-processing phenomenon on social networks for many days.

Not only that. The Ever Given ship stuck for 6 days in the Suez Canal, Egypt, causing the country to lose $ 12-14 million per day. 6 days seems to be a very special time for Egyptians. In 1967, the Israeli army also landed in Egypt to wage a six-day war over the Arab coalition and as a result Israel then took control of the Gaza Strip, east of Jerusale, the Sinai peninsula, the west bank and Golan Heights.

In retaliation, Egypt closed the Suez Canal and reopened it in 1975. That coincidence is a sign that, if we look closely, the story of the incident in Suez might suggest more.

And, that’s right. Since its inception, Suez has always been a mirror to the world, even if we want to, we can see very clearly the many stages of human history over the past 150 years, only through the lens of Suez: from the owner. colonialism in Africa, to the Cold War and then globalization.

In the mid-19th century, a French diplomat proposed to invest in Egypt building a canal connecting the Mediterranean with the Red Sea, and the creation of that artery was also the beginning of a dark chapter of Africa, when the continent began to be torn apart by Europe. Just before Suez’s inauguration, Khedive (Viceroy) of Egypt defaulted and was forced to sell part of the ownership of the Suez Canal to England – so a colonial dispute broke out between England and France, culminating is the Fashoda event, where the British won Egypt and the French kept only Morocco. So, from the outset, that canal has been a metaphor for a change in power structure.

However, the troubled political situation in Egypt led the British press to coined the term “Egyptian question” as a way of expressing doubt and fear that the occupation of the Suez Canal would pose a threat. Castle. Little is said about, that the formation of the Suez Canal led to the creation of a gothic literary movement about the supernatural forces of the rising ancient Egyptian civilization to destroy the enemy. Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the immortal series of Sherlock Holmes, could not stand out from the trend and he has a short story “Lot No.249” revolving around an Egyptologist who brings back so many antiques. You should get revenge by the zombies.

And, the story of these ancient curses “can be read as a symbol of both a desire for power to fully hold the Suez Canal and the fear of losing it,” as scholar Ailise Bulfin in Trinity College wrote in an essay.

It was the middle of the 19th century. Also until the middle of the 20th century, this time everything changed after 2 world wars. Colonialism is coming to the conclusion of many colonial countries’ struggle for national liberation and a newly formed context: the Cold War. The historic arena now belonged to the Soviet and American powers, a battle that Hopkins University’s foreign relations professor Michael Mandelbaum likened to a sumo fight, in which two fat brothers worshiped. and stomped his feet but barely actually touched each other. With unmatched value, the Suez Canal is of course indispensable for a role on this sumo ring.

The British Air Force prepared to attack Egypt during the Suez Crisis of 1956.

On October 29, 1956, the British – French – Israeli coalition attacked Egypt after its decision to nationalize the Suez Canal, opening the “Suez Crisis”. And, like all events in the world at the time, it was actually still a matter between the US and the Soviet Union, though they might not “show up” directly. Why does the Egyptian government want to nationalize Suez? It is in response to the US unwillingness to fund the construction of the Aswan Dam on the Nile. And who is willing to lend Egypt $ 1.12 billion to implement this project? Who else but the Soviet Union.

What was even more interesting, however, was that the United States did not want to attack Egypt. Therefore, President Eisenhower’s government has pressured allied countries to leave, with Britain alone, Eisenhower threatened to sell bonds in pounds, which would cause immeasurable damage. for UK finance. Frightened, Britain withdrew its troops and suffered a dull face. Historians today conclude that the Suez Crisis “marked the end of the UK’s role as one of the great powers in the world” and that the demise of old empires like Britain or France only caused The dichotomy between the US and the Soviet Union became more solid.

Then after a few decades, when the walls fell, the Cold War was finally in the past. What defeated it, replaced it, was globalization, according to author Thomas L. Friedman in “The Lexus and the Olive Fishing”. Friedman’s famous book was first published in 1999 but up to now, it is still accurate. We are still living in the era of globalization, globalization becomes more and more apparent in every corner of our lives.

And, just in time when the new power structure is going into smooth operation, the Ever Given ship’s trauma on the Suez Canal reveals to us the fragility of the global supply chain. In his book, Friedman makes a statement: “The greatest threats to globalization originate in itself. This system has the potential to destroy itself ”. Among the “self-destructive potentials” mentioned by Friedman, one comes from “too tight connection”.

Only one ship, but accounts for more than 13% of all cargo that goes through the sea. Just one ship, can cause total damage of about 400 million USD per hour and 10 billion USD per day. And, no country can say this incident has no effect on us, just that the effect will come soon or a little later. It was an incident no one ever thought could happen, but it still happens. And, the whole world could suffer just because of the negligence of a handful of people. The weakness of globalization lies in that. And this time, will the Suez Canal herald a structural change in the world? Some experts say that, most likely, the Suez incident will promote the transport of knowledge and technology, instead of the physical cargo. Let’s wait and see.

But, also does not rule out this possibility, a possibility that has been mixed with the Egyptians in recent days. The number is that before Ever Given was trapped, Egypt was moving 22 mummies to the new museum and because of the “cemetery of the tombs”, the mummies of the Pharaohs were cradling a curse that caused bad luck to the world. It sounds nonsense, but it shouldn’t be taken literally. In fact, the curse of the Pharaohs is the “olive tree” described by Friedman: it is a symbol of the past, of identity, of tradition, which is grappling with the “lexus” – that is development, integration, industrialization, which is represented by the modern Ever Given supership.

The only thing we can be sure of is that globalization has some small problems, but if not fixed in time, it can have a big impact. Anyway, in ancient times terrible changes in history began with the release of screws.