China partly shuts major port due to Covid-19 case

SHANGHAI • China partly shut the world's third busiest container port after a worker became infected with Covid-19, threatening to further disrupt global trade.

All inbound and outbound container services at Meishan terminal in Ningbo-Zhoushan port were halted on Wednesday until further notice because of a "system disruption", according to a statement on the port's electronic data platform.

A container terminal worker at the port had tested positive for the coronavirus, the city's government said in a WeChat statement.

This is the second recent shutdown of a Chinese port due to the coronavirus, after the closure of Yantian port in Shenzhen from late May for about a month.

The fear is that such disruptions may strain international shipping and supplies of goods, already hurt by the pandemic's squeeze on manufacturers. An extended shuttering at Ningbo could be especially damaging for the world economy because commerce usually rises towards the end of the year, with companies shipping Christmas and holiday products.

Mr Josh Brazil, vice-president of marketing at project44, a supply-chain intelligence firm, said "there may be far-reaching downstream consequences going into Black Friday and holiday shopping seasons", and the next 24 hours will determine whether there is a large outbreak. He added: "One of the few givens in 2021 is endemic delays, and the fact that conditions can change almost overnight."

In addition to the closed terminal, shipment of containers through the other terminals will likely slow down. The port will now accept containers only within two days of a ship's estimated arrival time, according to a statement from shipping and logistics firm CMA CGM.

All the close contacts of the infected worker have been identified and are in quarantine, according to Ningbo city's statement.

When contacted yesterday, a port spokesman who declined to give his name said there was no new information.

The suspension meant there would be a delay in sailings, according to a statement on Wednesday from Hapag-Lloyd.

The shuttered terminal accounts for about 25 per cent of container cargo through the Ningbo-Zhoushan port, according to a statement from security consultant GardaWorld, which said "the suspension could severely impact cargo handling and shipping".

The port was the third busiest globally in terms of container shipments last year and the second busiest in China after Shanghai, according to maritime publication Lloyd's List.

The port worker's positive test shows that virus prevention measures in Ningbo city still have loopholes, the local government said in a statement on its website yesterday.

It urged officials to implement quarantines, carry out disinfection and close affected areas to prevent the spread of the virus.

BLOOMBERG