The Suez Canal Authority has suspended traffic temporarily while eight tugs work to free a giant container ship stranded in the southern stretch of the canal for two days, it said on Thursday.

Thirteen ships had sailed south along the canal on Wednesday and were waiting in lakes along the route until the container ship Ever Given is released, the authority said in a statement.

The MV Ever Given is still visible – just – even in this wide-angle view from the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite, revealing the scale of the massive vessel.

The ship is seen wedged across the canal half-way up the image. The city in middle-left is Suez, at the canal’s southern mouth.

The Ever Given’s Japanese owner has offered an apology for the huge disruption its grounding has caused.

“We are determined to keep on working hard to resolve this situation as soon as possible,” Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd said on Thursday.

“We would like to apologise to all parties affected by this incident, including the ships travelling and planning to travel through Suez Canal.”

The container vessel is operated by Taiwanese company Evergreen Marine and registered in Panama.

The Ever Given had two pilots from Egypt’s canal authority aboard to guide it when it ran aground at about 7.45 a.m. Tuesday, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, its technical manager, has said.

Pilots board vessels and help navigate the canal alongside regular crew.

BSM also revealed more details about the rescue attempt, which is making use of the Ever Given’s winches to help dredgers move material from around it.

The company said in a statement: “The vessel grounded due to strong winds as the vessel, with two canal pilots onboard, was transiting northbound through the canal en route to Rotterdam, Netherlands.

“All 25 crew are safe and accounted for. There have been no reports of injuries, pollution or cargo damage and initial investigations rule out any mechanical or engine failure as a cause of the grounding.

“Dredgers are working to clear sand and mud from around the vessel to free her. Tugboats in conjunction with Ever Given’s winches are working to shift the vessel.

“BSM’s immediate priorities are to safely re-float the vessel and for marine traffic in the Suez Canal to resume.

“The continued efforts of the Suez Canal Authority and those involved in ongoing re-floating operations are greatly appreciated and BSM will continue to work closely with all parties involved in this operation.

“Once re-floated, the vessel will undergo a full inspection and BSM will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities on reports of the incident.”

Yesterday The Independent spoke to a top UK marine instructor about the process for entering the Suez Canal.

Lars Lippuner, director of the Warsash Maritime School in southern England, said yesterday: “During the passage through the canal there would be a Suez Canal pilot on board with local knowledge and expertise.

“The pilot is in addition to the standard complement of the ship and it could be more than one pilot.

“The bridge of the ship would usually have a higher number of crew and officers present to ensure a safe crossing – it is considered a pilotage situation.

“Lots of pre-canal transit checks such as checks on steering gear, machinery, lights, and navigational equipment would have taken place before entering the Canal at the Suez or the Port Said end.”

Analysis – in case you missed it

The world’s most vital trade artery is blocked by a 224,000-ton container ship, leading to a build-up of traffic that could cause major problems if it is not cleared soon, according to shipping experts.

“Even the slightest delay in traffic can result in congestion and disturb the delivery of goods and commodities on both sides,” according to analysts at S&P Global Platts.

The most important factor determining the severity of any delays will be how quickly the vessel, Ever Given, can be removed, writes Ben Chapman.

Satellite images have revealed the scale of the MV Ever Given in relation to the Suez Canal.

They show the massive ship slewed at about a 45-degree angle across the waterway.

Some 150 ships are now in the queue waiting to transit the Suez Canal.

The backlog follows the grounding of the MV Ever Given on Tuesday.

Attempts to refloat the giant container ship resumed on Thursday morning following an overnight break.

An Egyptian canal authority official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said workers hoped to avoid offloading containers from the vessel as it would be a days-long effort to do so.