Suez Bottleneck May Cause New Toilet Paper Crisis

A megaship blocking the Suez Canal may cause a new toilet paper crisis, it is claimed.

It comes just a year after UK supermarket shelves were stripped of toilet roll in a frenzy of panic buying just before the first lockdown.

Huge queues of ships waiting for the Suez Canal to be unblocked could now result in a new worldwide shortage of toilet paper, according wood pulp firm Suzano SA.

According to Bloomberg, Suzano SA's Chief Executive Officer Walter Schalka said the firm was struggling to find vessels to carry its products.

Around 50 ships usually pass through the Suez Canal every day, however they have been blocked since the 200,000 tonne Ever Given ran aground.

Lars Jensen, a container shipping expert based in Denmark, said the transportation of everyday household items will be affected - including toilet roll.

He said: "Basically anything you see in the stores."

Jerome Powell, chair of the US Federal Reserve, told NBC News: "We have a literal bottleneck in the Suez Canal today.

This takes capacity out of a system that is already starving for capacity."

The pandemic has already seen freight shipping rates skyrocket to record highs as the global logistics network comes under strain.

Addressing the potential crisis, a spokesman for Boris Johnson said: "We are working with the authorities to assess the situation, we stand ready to provide any assistance that we can.

""We have not been approached by any UK companies or organisations with concerns about implications for their shipping plans.

"However, some goods destined for the UK may be delayed in transit."