Category: China

Foreign workers leave China and it is likely to continue as China ‘reshapes’ commerce

Strict border controls amid China’s zero-COVID policy is creating a shortage of foreign expertise, with some suggesting the development could become a permanent feature, with ramifications for supply chains and an accelerating factor for consideration of production moving to alternati... Read more

Shanghai to return to normal in June? Let’s hope so…

Shanghai is aiming to reopen the city and business operations, with normal life resuming from the 1st June, as all 16 city districts report acceptably reduced ‘zero-COVID’ cases. At a press briefing on Monday, Shanghai’s Vice Mayor announced that 15 of Shanghai’s 16... Read more

Shipping lines act to support rates by cancelling sailings from Asia

Across the major shipping trade lanes a total of 56 sailings have been blanked over the next four weeks - so far - representing an 8% cancellation rate. The halting of factory production, following the continuing lockdown in Shanghai, is resulting in a drop in export bookings from China, ... Read more

China supply chain pressures relentless

Despite talk of restarting manufacturing and a tiered reopening of Shanghai and the surrounding province, the situation remains challenging and delays are increasing in Ningbo as the volume of cargo diverted from Shanghai continues to grow. The Shanghai lockdown remains for a fifth week, ... Read more

Blanked Shanghai sailings slow to materialise

As Shanghai enters the fourth week of an indefinite lockdown, container shipping lines are skipping calls at main Shanghai terminals, with more blank sailings anticipated as vessels waiting at Chinese ports double. Until the lockdown situation is resolved, which appears challenging when puttin... Read more

COVID update: Shanghai lockdown impact

China’s economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter, expanding 4.8%, but the risk of a sharp slowdown over coming months has risen as Shanghai’s lockdown is extended indefinitely and further COVID-19 curbs may follow.  Nearly all of Shanghai is now under lockdown, with most res... Read more

Shanghai supply chain update– Lockdown extended indefinitely

The lifting of COVID restrictions in parts of Shanghai this week has been postponed after nearly 20,000 new cases were reported on Monday. While the primary port terminals and airport remain open, most workers are in locked-down neighbourhoods and the impact on production and inland logis... Read more

28th March: Shanghai lockdown in two waves

After recording its highest daily number of cases on Saturday, with Omicron leading a spike, Shanghai, China’s most populous city and a global financial hub, will be locked down in two stages over nine days while authorities carry out infection testing. Authorities had so far resisted lockin... Read more

The sea and air alternative from China

China to Europe rail freight services have grown massively since the advent of the COVID pandemic, with volumes surging 29% last year. But with services transiting Russia and Belarus sanctioned and the Ukraine route halted, the equivalent of 1.46 million TEU needs alternative solutions.... Read more

China ship queues growing with further disruption to schedules

Despite key Chinese ports, including Shenzhen and Shanghai, operating normally, land-side logistics disruption, in the wake of the latest Covid-related lockdowns is inevitable and vessel queues are growing. Queues of container ships outside major Chinese ports are lengthening, despite por... Read more

China lockdowns impact on logistics

Following their seven-day lockdown, Shenzhen has reopened for business, but it could take weeks for cargo flows to recover, with vessels queuing and Yantian port throughput down 40%, amid concerns that COVID surges in other regions will affect supply chains, as strict controls, restrictions... Read more

NEWSFLASH: China lockdowns and supply chain latest

Earlier today authorities in Langfang, which borders Beijing and Dongguan in the southern province of Guangdong imposed immediate seven-day lockdowns, joining Shenzhen, which started a seven day lockdown on Sunday, while the entire province of Jilin has been placed in complete lockdown and Hong K... Read more