A Korean-registered cargo ship broke down in the Suez Canal at dawn Saturday, blocking the passage of at least 40 ships, a canal official said. The northbound ship, carrying 74,000 tons of coal, has been stranded at the southern entrance of the waterway for at least four hours. "Great Polaris" was heading to Europe, the official said. He said some 32 ships are waiting behind the Great Polaris, all heading to the Mediterranean. Eleven southbound ships are also waiting to go through. The ship's crew and another from the Suez Canal Authority are trying to fix the mechanical problem, the official said, identifying it as malfunctions in the engine and rudder. Windy conditions were hampering the efforts but the official said the engine had been fixed by midmorning. On average, nearly 50 ships carrying fuel and other merchandise pass through the 190-kilometer (120-mile) canal every day. A Liberian-registered ship blocked the waterway in November for three days. The government-run Suez Canal authority says about 7.5 percent of world sea trade passes through the canal, which connects the Mediterranean and Red seas and saves ships the longer, costlier route around South Africa.
