The Hong Kong-registered Xin Hai Tong 23 had to be freed by tugboats after its engines also broke down on May 25. Photo: Suez Canal Authority
The Hong Kong-registered Xin Hai Tong 23 had to be freed by tugboats after its engines also broke down on May 25. Photo: Suez Canal Authority
The Hong Kong-registered Xin Hai Tong 23 had to be freed by tugboats after its engines also broke down on May 25. Photo: Suez Canal Authority
The Hong Kong-registered Xin Hai Tong 23 had to be freed by tugboats after its engines also broke down on May 25. Photo: Suez Canal Authority

Suez Canal traffic disrupted after oil tanker engine breaks down


Kamal Tabikha
  • English
  • Arabic

An oil tanker caused a temporary disruption of traffic in Egypt's Suez Canal on Sunday morning, after its engine broke down.

The canal is the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia and one of the Egyptian government's main sources of foreign currency.

Three tugboats were deployed to tow the Malta-registered Seavigour to a nearby port on the northern stretch of the waterway for repairs, Suez Canal Authority spokesman George Safwat said.

The tanker was travelling to China from Russia, and its breakdown is the second incident to affect traffic on the canal in the past two weeks.

On May 25, the Hong Kong-registered Xin Hai Tong 23, heading to Egypt from Saudi Arabia, had to be freed by tugboats after its engines also broke down.

Following Sunday's blockage, the canal authority played down fears about its ability to deal with blockages on the waterway, saying it had the funds and manpower to handle such incidents “with professionalism”.

The authority launched a major upgrade of the vital shipping route after a six-day blockage caused by the Panama-registered container ship Ever Given running aground in March 2021.

The disruption caused billions in financial losses for shipping companies.

The canal’s authority is seeking to deepen and widen stretches of the 193-kilometre waterway.

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Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

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Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

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Eagles
Tries: Bright, O’Driscoll
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey 3

Hurricanes
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Cons: Powell 3

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Torque: 370Nm

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What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Friday
Nice v Angers (9pm)
Lille v Monaco (10.45pm)

Saturday
Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain (7pm)
Bordeaux v Guingamp (10pm)
Caen v Amiens (10pm)
Lyon v Dijon (10pm)
Metz v Troyes (10pm)

Sunday
Saint-Etienne v Rennes (5pm)
Strasbourg v Nantes (7pm)
Marseille v Toulouse (11pm)

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Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

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If you go

Flying

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Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

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Price: From Dh117,059

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3.

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5

Norway

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Canada

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Singapore

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Australia

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Saudi Arabia

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Monster Hunter: World

Capcom

PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Updated: June 04, 2023, 11:36 AM`