Container ship is trapped in the Suez Canal

A large container ship became trapped in Egypt’s Suez Canal on Tuesday, March 23, halting shipping traffic on one of the world’s busiest waterways.

The vessel, a vessel called the Ever Given, ran aground after high winds and a sandstorm caused poor visibility and poor navigation, the Suez Canal Authority said in a statement. The ship was en route to the Dutch tip of Rotterdam when it got off course.

The Ever Given, at 400 meters (1,312 feet), is almost as tall as the Empire State Building is.

The Suez Canal accounts for about 30% of global container ship traffic per day, according to Reuters news agency. Experts fear that if the Ever Given is not released soon, the logjam could impact the oil market, shipping and container rates, leading to an increase in the cost of everyday goods.