Suez Canal blockage causes meme frenzy

The stricken 400-metre, 224,000-tonne 'Ever Given' container vessel provides ample material for meme creators

The stranded container ship Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, after it ran aground in Suez Canal, Egypt. Reuters

The stranded container ship Ever Given after it ran aground in Suez Canal. Reuters

A tugboat by the Panama-flagged MV Ever Given container ship. AFP

Tugboats by the Panama-flagged MV Ever Given. AFP

Tugboats by the Panama-flagged MV Ever Given. AFP

The Ever Given container ship which ran aground in the Suez Canal, Egypt. EPA

Ever Given container ship is pictured in Suez Canal in this Maxar Technologies satellite image. Reuters

A view of the earth moving equipment excavating sand near the bow of the Ever Given container ship in Suez Canal in this Maxar Technologies satellite image. Reuters

A view of the dredging operations which continue near the Ever Given container ship in Suez Canal in this Maxar Technologies satellite image. Reuters

Egyptian officials oversee the operation to free Taiwan-owned cargo MV Ever Given after it become stuck in the Suez Canal. AFP

Egyptian officials oversee the operation to free Taiwan-owned cargo MV Ever Given after it become stuck in the Suez Canal. AFP

Egyptian tug boats try to free the ship. AFP

Egyptian tug boats try to free the ship. AFP

Egyptian tug boats try to free the ship. AFP

The ship is shown lodged sideways. AFP

All movement in the canal comes to a standstill. AFP

A satellite image of the Ever Given. AP

A satellite image of the Ever Given. AP

Stranded container ship Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, is seen after it ran aground, in Suez Canal, Egypt in this still image taken from a video. Reuters

Egypt's Suez Canal authorities are redirecting shipping traffic on Wednesday after a 200,000-tonne container ship 'MV Ever Given' ran aground and blocked the canal's main channel. Reuters

Recovery teams are surveying the 'MV Ever Given', which ran aground in the Suez Canal on Tuesday as it headed for the Mediterranean after leaving the Red Sea. Its destination is Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Reuters

Lt Gen Osama Rabei, head of the Suez Canal Authority, second right, assesses the 'MV Ever Given' from the bridge of a cutter. AP Photo

This satellite image from Planet Labs shows the cargo ship 'MV Ever Given', stuck in the Suez Canal. AP Photo

This satellite image from Planet Labs shows the cargo ship 'MV Ever Given', grounded in the Suez Canal since Tuesday. AP

A massive cargo vessel wedged sideways in Egypt's Suez Canal is not something you see every day. And like all great unifying events, its images provide a productive seam of content for meme creators.

While Egyptian tugboat operators were trying to dislodge and refloat the stricken Evergreen Marine Corp vessel, the internet got its creative juices going and took great joy in marking the event.

Blocked Suez Canal vessel distracts us from work  

A good meme usually encapsulates people's desires to veer off from their daily work routines. Here is Chaz Hutton's cartoon strip explaining the situation for many:

And some more traditional work/procrastination memes

Austin Powers explains the situation

The scene from the Mike Myers film of our groovy 1960s superagent trying to wriggle a vehicle out of a tight spot was the first thought I had. Zaina Erhaim shares a gif that goes the extra mile.

...As does Ross Geller

Users speculate what refloating the vessel will entail

Just the man for a Suez crisis

Football Twitter has new ammunition for defensive bores

Poor Jose Mourinho. His football teams will struggle to shake off this tag.

Follow the latest blocked Suez Canal vessel developments here.