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The most well-known ship of 2021, and why we adore it
Unless a ship sinks, ships are rarely discussed. Ships have been the drivers of human migrations, economy, trade, and culture for thousands of years, but we don’t pay them much attention. They simply go about their business, ruling the planet in silence.
The month of March 2021 was an outlier. It was a time when a ship became trapped and virtually the entire world took notice. And what a location to become stuck in.
On March 23, 2021, the Ever Given, one of the world’s largest container ships, became caught in the Suez Canal, and since the Suez Canal is so narrow, the stopped ship blocked the Canal. That was it; a ship had become stranded, and a large portion of global trade had come to a halt. That’s when the rest of the world took notice.
It wasn’t all the fault of the poor giant. A sandstorm occurred just as the ship was crossing the Canal, and the ship went aground on a sandbank due to a strong gust of wind.
The Suez Canal is responsible for 12% of global trade, therefore it’s a terrible place to get stalled. According to estimates, the block was holding up items worth $9.6 billion dollars every day, or $400 million per hour.
The ship became the world’s favourite news and meme fodder of the year while trapped. After all, history isn’t written by well-behaved, disciplined ships.
To liberate the 200,000-ton cargo ship, it needed every tugboat in the area, a large number of ocean salvage specialists, and a lot of effort. However, before the ship was released, a little excavator became well-known.
For a long time, the image of hope, determination, and efforts will remain the little boy digging up sand to refloat the Goliath ship looming before it.
The ship sparked some of the year’s best and most inventive memes.
There’s a website where you can have Ever Given become trapped wherever you want it to get stuck. Why should the Suez Canal have all the fun? The cleverly named website ‘Ever Given Ever Ywhere’ allows you to stick Ever Given everywhere.
After nearly a week, Ever Given was eventually let free. While the Canal was closed, Egyptian authorities proclaimed a state of emergency. They had even filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against the shipowners. Ever Given was stranded, not literally, but legally, in the Great Bitter Lake for months after being refloated while the court dispute raged on.
The ship was finally liberated in July, and it crossed the Canal again in August this year, happily without being trapped. After arriving at the UK’s Felixstowe port on December 27, the world-famous ship has safely crossed the canal a couple of times and is now in the North Sea. It is now en route to Hamburg, Germany.
The Suez Canal is the shortest shipping route between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, measuring around 120 miles long. It connects the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean and is extremely important since, without it, ships would have to circumnavigate the whole African continent before reaching the Indian Ocean, as they did until 1869.
Ever Given got trapped, providing us with some much-needed relief from the Covid pandemic’s never-ending doom. For once, we weren’t talking about mortality, diseases, infections, or hospitals. In other ways, the ship symbolised how the world must keep moving forward, despite the fact that the epidemic is merely a sandbank. It can only slow us down, not stop us.
Let us all hope that global trade will continue unabated in 2022 and that no ships will become stranded.
Potholes and traffic congestion on the Uran route could make the festival journey difficult for thousands of devotees.
The Roads
With Ganeshotsav approaching, thousands of devotees from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai are preparing to travel to their hometowns in Konkan. However, poor road conditions along the Uran route have raised concerns about their journey.
Several stretches, including parts of the Mumbai–Goa National Highway and the Khopate Bridge, are reportedly affected by potholes. The Gavanphata–Chirner–Kharpada route is also in need of repairs, raising fears of slower traffic and longer travel times during the busy festival period. Traffic congestion has already been reported on the Chirner–Gavanphata–Dighode stretch. With a significant increase in vehicles expected during Ganeshotsav, residents fear that the existing problems could become even worse.
Roads maintained by CIDCO and the Public Works Department (PWD) have also come under scrutiny. The Khopate–Koproli road, in particular, has several potholes, while unauthorised parking in some areas is further adding to traffic difficulties. For many families travelling to Konkan for Ganeshotsav, the journey is an important part of the festival. Residents have therefore urged authorities to repair the damaged roads before the rush begins.
Meanwhile, Uran traffic police are preparing measures to manage the expected increase in traffic and minimise congestion during the festival.
Jayesh Pawar alleges massive financial losses and urges authorities to act against gaming platforms.
The Addiction
The growing popularity of online gaming for quick money is raising concerns in Navi Mumbai, with one resident claiming that he lost around Rs 2.5 crore after becoming trapped in the cycle of online gaming.
Navi Mumbai resident Jayesh Pawar has approached the authorities seeking action, alleging that he suffered huge financial losses through online gaming platforms. He also claimed that he lost around Rs 35 lakh at one stage while trying to recover earlier losses.
According to Pawar, the problem often begins with small bets. Initial wins can create confidence, encouraging players to invest larger amounts. Once losses begin, players may put in even more money in the hope of recovering what they have already lost.
Pawar claimed that he is not the only person facing such difficulties. He said several young people have reportedly lost lakhs and even crores through online gaming. Some, he alleged, borrowed money or sold property to continue playing.
The issue has also raised concerns about the wider impact of gaming addiction, including financial stress and problems within families. Pawar has urged the authorities to investigate such platforms and take appropriate action. His case has highlighted the need for greater awareness about the risks of chasing quick profits through online gaming.
Police register FIR and launch search for accused after late-night incident.
The Case
A woman travelling home after attending a party in Chembur has alleged that her cab driver tried to molest her after stopping the vehicle at an isolated location in Navi Mumbai during the early hours of September 6.
According to her complaint, the incident took place around 1:30 am. The driver reportedly stopped the cab on the roadside, saying he wanted to drink water. After getting back into the vehicle, he allegedly moved to the back seat, held the woman’s hand and tried to remove her clothes despite her resistance.
The woman strongly protested, following which the driver allegedly fled from the spot. She then contacted her family and approached the police to report what had happened. Police identified the accused as Mohammed Afzal Sheikh and registered an FIR based on the woman’s complaint. Multiple police teams have reportedly been formed to trace and arrest him.
Investigators are using technical information and other leads to locate the accused. Police have said the complaint is being taken seriously and that appropriate legal action will follow. The incident has once again raised concerns about the safety of passengers travelling alone in cabs during late-night hours. Police are continuing their investigation into the case.
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