The pictures of a cargo ship lodged across the Suez Canal are vivid, but what impact will the blockage have on shipping and consumers? Analysts say it depends largely on how soon the canal can be reopened. Ships carry nearly $10 billion worth of goods through the canal on an average day. It links Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Experts say the blockage will delay a range of parts and raw materials for European products including car parts and clothing. The impact on the United States will be indirect, since most shipments from Asia to the U.S. go over the Pacific.
