General

The global epidemic has repeated, countries have implemented border controls of varying degrees in response to the epidemic, and many factories have been forced to shut down, jeopardizing the smoothness of the entire shipping supply chain, leading to soaring freight rates on shipping routes in China, the United States and Europe.

According to real-time data from logistics company Kuehne+Nagel, there are currently 353 cargo ships stuck in ports around the world, more than double the number at the beginning of this year. Among them, there are still 22 freighters waiting outside the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the major US ports, and it is estimated that it will still take 12 days for unloading operations.

Recently, affected by typhoons and epidemics, as many as 570 ships in China are waiting to load and unload cargo.

In just two weeks, due to port congestion and new Covid-19 restrictions, the number of dry bulk carriers near Chinese ports has almost exploded. Recently, 7.5% of the world’s small dry bulk carriers, including Handysize and Supramax, have berthed near Chinese ports.

The maritime congestion is worrying, but the recent China-Europe Express is also disturbing.

On August 15th, during a routine nucleic acid test in Alashankou City, Bozhou, Xinjiang, three people were found to have positive nucleic acid test results. They were all asymptomatic patients with new coronary pneumonia after being diagnosed by experts. They have been transferred to a designated place in Bozhou. The hospital conducts isolation medical observation.

Three cases of new crown positives suddenly appeared in Alashankou this time, making this most important land port connecting Asia and Europe the focus of the international logistics industry. There is no definitive news about whether operations at Alashankou have been affected by the epidemic.

I would like to remind all sellers and freight forwarders to always pay attention to the relevant situation at the local port.