Five ships carrying Malta-bound containers which were due to arrive next week might take a further three to arrive at the Malta Freeport, as they are stuck in the Suez Canal.

“The effects of this blocking will not be resolved once it re-opens, but the ripple effect on the Freeport and businesses will be felt for weeks after,” Malta Freeport terminals CEO Alex Montebello told Times of Malta. 

MV Ever Given, a container ship that is more than four football fields (400 metres) long, has been wedged diagonally across the span of Egypt's Suez Canal since Tuesday. The blockage has caused a huge traffic jam for more than 200 ships, causing major delays in the delivery of oil and other products. 

Amongst those 200 ships stranded in the Suez Canal are five which are bound for Malta.

“The vessels carry a mixture of containers, both transshipments works which are destined for other Mediterranean countries and also some cargo for local industry,” he said.

Montebello said the vessels were due to arrive next week, but due to the blockage the freeport will experience a lower turnout in volume next week. 

He said that the delayed cargo could take between two or four weeks to arrive.

Some vessels have decided to bypass the Suez Canal and go through the Southern Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. For those that decide to take this route, vessels will still take around 14 days to arrive in the Mediterranean.

Montebello said that the five vessels have not decided to take this route, but that the situation is constantly evolving. 

On Saturday, it was reported that the vessel’s Japanese owners are hoping that the vessel could be dislodged as soon as Saturday evening. 

“This news brings a glimmer of hope, but removing a vessel like that takes time,” Montebello said. 

He said that the number of ships waiting at the opening of the Suez Canal is increasing day by day, and once the Canal is open there will be an unprecedented backlog to work through. 

When contacted for comment, the Malta Chamber of Commerce said that it was still too early to tell what the impact on local businesses could be.