After a worker was infected with COVID-19, China partially shut down the world's third-busiest container port, threatening to severely disrupt global commerce.
Worker Tested Positive for COVID-19
In a recently published article in MSN News, the administration of the eastern Chinese city stated in a WeChat statement that a container terminal worker at the port had tested positive for coronavirus. As the holiday shopping season approaches, the already weak supply chains and global commerce are at risk of more harm.
According to a statement released by Ningbo City, all of the sick worker's close connections have been identified and are being held in isolation. When contacted on Thursday, a port spokesperson who did not want to be identified stated there was no fresh information about the recent COVID-19 report for the meantime.
The discovery of a port worker who tested positive for COVID-19 shows that virus-prevention measures in Ningbo City still have gaps, according to a statement posted on the local government's website on Thursday. The statement urged officials to implement quarantines, disinfection, and the closure of affected areas to stop the virus from spreading, according to a published report in The Straits Times.
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Effect of Partial Closure of Port
The worry is that such interruptions would put a burden on international transportation and supply chains, which are already being strained by the pandemic's impact on manufacturers. A prolonged closure in Ningbo may be particularly harmful to the global economy since trade typically picks up at the end of the year as firms ship Christmas and holiday goods.
Josh Brazil, vice-president of marketing at project44 said "There may be far-reaching downstream consequences going into Black Friday and holiday shopping seasons. One of the few givens in 2021 is endemic delays and the fact that conditions can change almost overnight," according to Bloomberg.
Additionally, according to security expert GardaWorld, the shuttered terminal accounts for approximately 25 percent of container goods passing through the port, and the suspension may have a significant effect on cargo handling and shipping. There will be a delay in sailings, according to Hapag-Lloyd AG of Germany.
Moreover, containers destined for other terminals will most likely slow down. According to a statement from shipping and logistics company CMA CGM, the port will now only accept containers within two days of a ship's anticipated arrival time.
Yantian Port Shut Down on May
In a published article in South China Morning Post, according to a port employee who refused to be named because they are not authorized to talk to the media, all goods departing Yantian Port in China would need reservations. When asked whether boats coming at the port might be disrupted, the employee stated the port's COVID-19 testing procedure for imports and cargoes entering China had been tightened.
According to a notification posted on WeChat on Friday, Yantian Port in Shenzhen, China's export and industrial center, has temporarily halted accepting containers for shipment until Sunday. In May, the port's container yard was partially closed due to an epidemic of COVID-19 among port employees and the general public.
