AlwaysFree: Returning Seafarers Can Strain China’s Ship Traffic Further: Analysts

Chinese seafarers weary of the COVID-19 pandemic are coming home to celebrate the Lunar New Year in February, which according to analysts, could compound snarls in global supply chains. Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Hapag-Lloyd AG said in their customer advisories that they had suspended new book orders for container shipments to small ports in South China due to a lack of feeder ships to haul the boxes amid a labour shortage.

Coastal feeder vessels haul containers off and on bigger ships in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and China’s other main ports. River barges and trucks are also used to deliver goods from factories in China’s inland cities to these ports. However, these services are typically suspended for around six weeks around the Lunar New Year. However, China’s lengthy quarantine requirements for seafarers could stretch the suspension to up to two months, shipping industry experts said.

Chinese seafarers are obliged to undergo a minimum 14-day hotel quarantine after leaving ships, followed by seven days of stay-at-home requirements, Hapag-Lloyd said. China’s central and regional authorities have introduced stricter curbs as they were anxious over more viral outbreaks. Analysts said the global shipping situation could deteriorate as Chinese authorities reported more new cases in the country’s eastern parts. Petrochemical plants in Zhenhai, Ningbo, have been ordered to cut production under a lockdown this week.

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