India's Haldia Petrochemicals has shut its naphtha cracker after ports in the country declared force majeure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The petrochemical maker operates a 670,000 tonnes per year cracker, which on average would need more than 150,000 tonnes of naphtha feedstock a month if the unit is at full capacity.
Haldia Petrochemicals buys naphtha from Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and Kuwait Petroleum Corp (KPC). A letter issued by India’s federal shipping ministry to allow ports to use the coronavirus pandemic as a valid reason to declare force majeure.
