📑 The Last Time the Suez Canal Was Blocked a Utopian Communist Micronation Was Formed at Sea

In lieu of Ever Given’s temporary blocking of the Suez Canal, Matthew Gault talks about the last time it was blocked in the aftermath of the Six-Day War. From 1967 to 1975, in the aftermath of the Six-Day War, fourteen ships were stranded in the Great Bitter Lake. These ships, dubbed the “Yellow Fleet”, collected together to form their own micronation in which they shared resources, created their own postal and ran their own form of the Olympics.

Over the next eight years, a weird system developed. The companies that owned the ships were allowed to cycle crews through the ships, maintaining skeleton crews to keep them afloat, but weren’t allowed to sail the ships out of the canal. As time passed, the ships communicated with each other and grew into a community. They formed the Great Bitter Lake Association to administer to the needs of the crew.

Ironically, it was the Six-Day War that created the situation for the creation of mega-containter ships.

In regards to other links, ABC provide an explainer to the Suez Canal, CNN provide an interactive experience of travelling through the canal, while Garrett Dash Nelson allows you to place the Ever Given everywhere.