Several Chinese ports are threatened with overload

Several Chinese ports are threatened with overload. The reason is the traffic jam in front of the second largest port, Ningbo, where, according to the data provider Refinitiv, more than 50 container ships were waiting to be processed. A port employee's corona case became known there on Wednesday a week ago, whereupon operations were temporarily suspended. Leading international shipping companies warn their customers about delays and route adjustments. At least 14 ships operated by the French shipping and logistics company CMA CGM, five by Maersk and four Hapag-Lloyd ships do not want to call at Ningbo for the time being. Dozens of other ships changed their schedules, as the shipping companies announced. As the queues in front of the major Chinese ports are getting bigger and bigger, the fear of increasing delivery bottlenecks is growing worldwide. The Chinese Ministry of Transport has ordered all ports to set up special teams for foreign ships. Their crews are required to provide health certificates or negative tests before the cargo can be unloaded or the ships loaded. "China's zero-tolerance policy is good for the pandemic, but bad for supply chains," said Dawn Tiura, head of the Sourcing Industry Group, a US-based association for the procurement industry. "This timing is very difficult when you consider that in addition to the upcoming Christmas shopping season, shopping at the start of school is also increasing."