That's one long journey! Container ship the Ever Given waits off the Suffolk coast as it prepares to dock in Felixstowe more than four months after it blocked the Suez Canal

The huge container ship that blocked the Suez Canal is preparing to dock in the UK for the first time since causing disruption to global shipping.

The Ever Given blocked the major shipping lane in Egypt for nearly a week earlier this year.

Under original plans the 400m-long ship was due to arrive at the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk in early April.

The Ever Given, which blocked the Suez Canal, is preparing to dock in the UK for the first time since causing disruption to global shipping

But instead it is expected to arrive on Tuesday and can be spotted at sea from the coastal town.

The ship was heading for Rotterdam when it ploughed into the sandy bank of a single-lane stretch of the canal on March 23.

It was stuck for nearly a week causing one of the biggest traffic jams in shipping history.

Hundreds of ships were delayed as they waited for the canal to be unblocked and some vessels were forced to take the much longer route around the southern tip of Africa.

The Ever Given blocked the major shipping lane in Egypt for nearly a week earlier this year. Under original plans the 400m-long ship was due to arrive at the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk in early April. Pictured: The Ever Given when it was stuck in the Suez Canal on March 28, 2021 

The ship, which carries cargo between Asia and Europe, was held for more than three months amid a financial dispute over compensation.

After an agreement was met between the ship's Japanese owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd, and canal authorities it was freed to continue its voyage in July.

It unloaded cargo in Rotterdam before heading toward Felixstowe, where it is expected to berth at around 0900 on Tuesday.

It comes after the container ship finally arrived in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, last week to begin unloading its cargo, four months after blocking the Suez Canal for nearly a week and stopping £42billion worth of world trade. 

The ship was heading for Rotterdam when it ploughed into the sandy bank of a single-lane stretch of the canal on March 23 

As dawn broke over the sprawling port, the Ever Given eased into the Amazonehaven container terminal months later than originally planned.

The Panama-flagged vessel was heading for Rotterdam when it ploughed into the sandy bank of a single-lane stretch of the canal about 3.7 miles north of the southern entrance, near the city of Suez on March 23. 

A massive salvage effort freed the skyscraper-sized vessel six days later, allowing a traffic jam of hundreds of waiting ships to pass through the canal.

'It was a great relief to see her and a special moment,' said Hans Nagtegaal, the Rotterdam port's director of containers, of Ever Given's arrival.

'Finally we can get the job done offloading and hopefully get her back to a normal sailing routine,' he said.

The ship, which carries cargo between Asia and Europe, was held for more than three months amid a financial dispute over compensation. After an agreement was met between the ship's Japanese owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd, and canal authorities it was freed to continue its voyage in July