China’s shipping industry readies for surge in demand as Shanghai restarts its export machine

Name: Shanghai reopens after two-month Covid lockdown, but how fast can life return to normal?
Uploaded: 2022-06-03T15:00:20.000Z
Duration: 3 min 46 s
Description: Shanghai reopens after two-month Covid lockdown, but how fast can life return to normal?

Export volumes are predicted to jump at Shanghai Port, the world’s busiest in terms of container throughput, as the city reopens after a two-month lockdown

Demand for ocean freight services and container shipping costs are expected to tick up as firms from Shanghai and surrounding areas rush to get goods out

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Shanghai port is the world’s busiest in terms of container throughput. Photo: Xinhua

Ji Siqi

Published: 11:00pm, 3 Jun 2022Updated: 12:02am, 4 Jun 2022

China’s shipping industry is bracing for an uptick in demand and freight costs as manufacturing activity in Shanghai roars back to life following the end of a two-month lockdown.

The Port of Shanghai is the world’s busiest in terms of container throughput and a major gateway for goods produced in nearby manufacturing hubs.

Although it was operational during the citywide lockdown, capacity was largely restrained because of the reduced availability of goods.

Since April, most exports have been shipped from the nearby Port of Ningbo, but Shanghai Port has seen volume return in recent weeks, local shipping agents said.

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Shanghai reopens after two-month Covid lockdown, but how fast can life return to normal?

“Lots of export cargo is again going through Shanghai now. Shanghai and Ningbo are 50/50,” said Xu, a shipping agent based in Jiangsu province who gave only his surname.