China shipping: Ningbo-Zhoushan container port remains partially shut after coronavirus infection
- On Wednesday, an employee at Meishan terminal tested positive for the coronavirus despite being fully inoculated with two doses of the Sinovac vaccine
- Shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport warned clients of potential ‘port congestion’ due to the partial closure in an advisory on Monday
China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan container port, the world’s third-busiest, remained partially closed for a sixth day on Monday, amid ongoing concern over whether the shutdown will disrupt trade from the region longer term.
Consultant GardaWorld estimated the terminal accounted for about 25 per cent of container cargo through the port, though Ningbo-Zhoushan had said it would redirect ships to other terminals and adjust operating hours at other docks.
An employee at the port’s media centre said they had no new information to share when contacted by Bloomberg News on Monday.
No new infections have been reported at the port since the initial case.
Shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport warned clients of potential “port congestion” due to the partial closure in an advisory on Monday, while Orient Overseas Container Line reminded customers to check terminals before arranging container gain-in at Ningbo in a notice on Saturday.
Maersk said on Friday it had an AC6 vessel at the Meishan terminal, and that all its AC6 ships will omit Ningbo in August.
It is also stoking fears that ports around the world could face similar outbreaks soon given the spread of the highly-infectious Delta variant, potentially triggering the sorts of curbs and disruptions that impacted global shipping last year.
