Cairo, Mar 6 (IANS): A cargo ship was refloated after being stranded in Egypt's Suez Canal for two hours, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) announced.

Four SCA tugboats succeeded to refloat the MSC-ISTANBUL cargo vessel which went aground while crossing from the south to the north, said George Safwat, spokesperson of the SCA, on Sunday.

Earlier, SCA Chairman Osama Rabie said the navigation movement in the Suez Canal was not affected by this emergency, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rabie affirmed the SCA's rescue expertise and navigational and technical capabilities to deal professionally with potential emergencies.

The Suez Canal has witnessed a number of similar incidents, the most prominent was the giant Ever Given cargo ship which ran aground for six days in March 2021 and disrupted global trade.

Since the freeing of the Ever Given, the SCA has been expanding and deepening the course of the canal.

Linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, the Suez Canal was officially opened for international navigation in 1869, serving as a lifeline for global seaborne trade since it allows ships to travel between Europe and South Asia without navigating around Africa.