Turkey offers help to Egypt to resolve blockage on Suez Canal
"We have conveyed our offer to help to our Egyptian brothers and if a positive response comes from them, our Nene Hatun ship is among the few in the world that can carry out work of this nature," Turkish Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu told broadcaster NTV.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 01:19 | 26 March 2021
- Modified Date: 01:28 | 26 March 2021
Turkey can send its Nene Hatun vessel to help resolve a blockage on the Suez Canal, Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu said on Friday, amid a recent push by Ankara to repair its strained ties with Egypt after years of animosity.
Transit through one of the world's busiest shipping canals has been blocked since Tuesday by the 400 m (430-yard) Ever Given container ship. Efforts to dislodge it may take weeks amid bad weather.
"We have conveyed our offer to help to our Egyptian brothers and if a positive response comes from them, our Nene Hatun ship is among the few in the world that can carry out work of this nature," Karaismailoğlu told broadcaster NTV, adding Ankara had not received a response yet but was ready to act.
Earlier this month, Turkey said it had resumed contacts with Egypt. Ties have been frosty since Egypt's army toppled a Muslim Brotherhood president close to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2013.