The ONE ORPHEUS ship collided with a floating bridge in the international waterway while transiting on its way from Singapore to the Netherlands.

The ship was part of the northbound convoy.

The ship suffered a technical malfunction in its rudder, resulting in a steering failure, according to the SCA.

The SCA deployed a rescue team and four tugboats to tow the afflicted ship and repair it.

The ship, which is 336 metres long and 46 metres wide, has a cargo capacity of 101,000 tons.

Osama Rabie, Chairman of the SCA, said in a statement that the rescue team confirmed the vessel’s seaworthiness after repairs.

Earlier today, Rabie assured that navigation through the canal was not interrupted due to the incident.

He added all southbound vessels transited as normal, while northbound traffic resumed after vessels of that convoy were redirected from the new canal to the original one.

The 72-kilometre-long canal connects the Mediterranean and the Red seas.

It represents the shortest maritime route between Asia and Europe and the fastest crossing from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean.

Around 12 percent of the world’s trade passes through the canal.

The canal is a main source of foreign currency for Egypt.