CHINA REPORTS NORMAL TRADE AND SHIPPING ACTIVITIES – SHANGHAI LOCKDOWN UPDATE

“Shanghai Customs has taken special measures to ensure that customs clearance at the world’s largest port for imports and exports will not be affected by the city’s phased lockdown.”

This is the news from one of China’s leading news publications China Daily reporting on the lockdown that came into effect in Pudong and a few other key districts of Shanghai on 28th of March 2022..

Pudong New Area, a 1,200 sq km zone on the eastern bank of the Huangpu River and other key districts of Jinshan, Fengxian, Chongming, and parts of Minhang went into lockdown from Monday the 28th to be followed by Puxi, on the western bank of Huangpu River..

Shanghai is home to the world’s largest container port and the world’s third largest international airport.. Pudong New Area, is home to Pudong International Airport, Yangshan port, Waigaoqiao port, and Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone and is considered the most important player in the city’s foreign trade..

“Upon learning of the lockdown, Yangshan port customs carried out urgent inspections late into the night to ensure that a batch of aircraft spare parts could reach Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Co., Ltd, which needed to do a flight test. Yangshan customs accepted more than 370 import and export declaration documents on Monday.” the report said..

Waigaoqiao port customs are said to have processed 350 import and export declaration documents on 28th March with port officials noting that business volumes were not affected..

As per MarineTraffic, 1086 ships have arrived in Shanghai within the last 24 hours with  2251 vessels currently in Shanghai and another 587 vessels scheduled to make a port call at Shanghai..

In its advisory to customers, Maersk has confirmed that they remain fully operational, port terminals in the area are proceeding with business as usual including vessel operation, yard handling, and gate-in & out are closely monitoring the situation..

Maersk however has warned that trucking services in and out of Shanghai will be severely impacted by about 30% due to a full lockdown on Shanghai’s Pudong and Puxi areas in turn until 5th April and that all warehouses in Shanghai will remain closed..

While the ports remain open there are concerns that exporters can face delays as the lockdown affects truckers, staff, and warehouses..

Source: shippingandfreightresource.com by Hariesh Manaadiar