trade

More and more containers are being held up at some of the most strategic points in the Asian giant. The emergence of Covid-19 outbreaks among port workers is costing an even more serious traffic jam than that which occurred in the Suez Canal, with potential consequences on time and costs.

Efforts by local authorities to contain the infection, including disinfection and quarantine,” Bloomberg reports, “have led to severe labour shortages, and the disruption at the world’s fourth-busiest container port is putting a strain on an already fragile global supply chain. Ships are calling at Yantian but container handling is facing serious delays, forcing them to stop for up to five days.

Maersk, the world’s largest container line, said current productivity at Yantian’s terminals is about 30% of normal levels. To avoid delays, the company and other shipping companies are diverting some of their ships to other terminals.

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