Freed Suez Canal Ship Sparks Wave of Memes As People Demand 'Put It Back'

With the massive container ship blocking Egypt's Suez Canal for nearly a week showing promising signs it will soon float free, social media users began posting jokes and memes demanding officials "put it back."

Videos shared to social media on Monday showed the Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, to have been partially refloated. Leth Agencies, a canal service provider for waterways including the Suez, confirmed the vessel has been "partly moved." Before running aground and blocking all marine traffic in the canal last Tuesday, the ship was en route to the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

During the six days Ever Given was grounded, an outpouring of memes poking fun at the incident went viral on social media, with many drawing parallels between the ship's blockage and feeling existentially stuck. Following Ever Given's status update, Twitter users are now joking they are not emotionally prepared for the vessel to float again.

From expletive-laden demands to saddened pleas, thousands of calls for the ship to be lodged once more in the Suez Canal were shared on Twitter. Several viral tweets posted screenshots of the phrase "PUT IT BACK" trending in the United States.

Some claimed the ship's blockage was a source of comfort during a difficult year. Others reveled in the economic impact of the ensuing congestion. Many regretted the ship moving again simply because they found the incident funny.

"THERE WAS SOMETHING DEEPLY COMFORTING ABOUT THE BOAT BEING STUCK AND I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF THEY COULD PUT IT BACK," wrote one user.

"GUYS THE SHIP IS UNSTUCK WHAT THE HECK IT JUST WANTED TO CHILL PLEASE PUT IT BACK," tweeted another.

"I feel betrayed by the ship getting unstuck before the rest of us... #PutItBack," read a third post.

One person shared a photo of a black shirt depicting Ever Given with "Got stuck in the Suez Canal and all I got was this lousy shirt" emblazoned on it.

"Put the boat back please god I just spent all my stimulus money to kickstart my stuck boat suez canal themed merch and now it wouldn't make sense to sell it please for the love of god put it back so I know I haven't squandered all my money," they tweeted.

Another user not only requested Ever Given be placed back to its position obstructing the Suez Canal but also suggested adding another ship next to it, tweeting a screenshot of a joke petition advocating for a second vessel to block the waterway.

"put it back," read one tweet. "it was inspiring me to sit and do nothing for six days as well."