Called a jumbo container ship Always a given I was I am stuck in the Suez Canal From Tuesday, it may be sea suffocation caused by the unfortunate ship Cleaning takes weeks.

While this is undoubtedly a total failure – with massive ramifications for the global shipping system – history reminds us that things can get worse.

In 1967, 14 cargo ships passed through Suez when Six-Day War Broke out between Israel and the neighboring Arab countries: Jordan, Egypt and Syria, Turning the channel into a combat zone. The Egyptian authorities instructed the ship’s crews to dock on the widest part of Suez, the great bitter lake. Although the war lasted only a few days, the ships ran aground for the next eight years.

What was the Yellow Fleet?

nickname Yellow Fleet As for the desert sand that eventually covered the ships while sitting at a standstill, the boats came from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Poland, Sweden, West Germany, Great Britain and the United States. Their fate was in the wrong place at the wrong time: Israel captured the east bank of the canal in the offensive, while Egypt held the west. After the war ended, Egypt closed the canal to prevent Israel from using it. barrier With ruins, old ships and mines.

After three difficult months, the ship’s original crew members were able to return home. But shipping companies did not want to leave their unmanned boats there. “It made sense to keep people there to protect the valuable cargo and the investment they made in the ships,” said Kath Sinker, the author of the book. Trapped in the Six Day War, He said Podcasts are 99% invisible. And so the relief teams came and went to watch the boats, creating their own international community known as the Great Bitter Lake Society.

Thread Provides an overview On how the new maritime community shares responsibilities:

Each ship has a special mission to ensure the smooth functioning of the “Earth”. The Polish cargo ship acted as a post office. The British hosted football matches. One ship served as a hospital; Else, the cinema. Germany on Sunday The wind is northerly Organized “church” services. Captain Paul Wall said, “We call it the Church.” Angels 1969. “But it’s actually more of a beer party.” (The Germans got free beer from home breweries.)

The Great Bitter Lake Adventure Association has found many other ways to maintain and organize it Olympic Games version 1968 (the Polish occupation prevailed) and even created their own occupation Handmade postage stamps.

But the party cannot go on forever. Over the years, shipping companies have drastically reduced the number of people sent to skeletal crews. A total of 3,000 workers made the voyage aboard abandoned ships at some point.

In 1975 the Suez Canal was reopened. The canal was closed for so long that most of the ships of the Yellow Fleet had fallen into disrepair and had to be towed. But two of them – German ships Munsterland I am The wind is northerly– –He did that Alone.