China’s main ports unclog container congestion as logistics restriction eased

It is reported that major ports in China are intensifying effort to clear out the piled-up containers after the government eased the restrictions on inland logistics. 

Data from Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) showed that the average wait time for container vessels at Zhoushan port in Southern China has improved significantly after container crane operators, customs officers, and other key logistics links returned to work. Zhoushan is the third-largest container ports in the world by annual handling capacity.

In Ningbo, there were only 800 truck drivers working on 12 February 2020, causing a heavy jam up of containers in the port. The authorities offered supports including transportation and accommodation for returning drivers and the number of truckers working has surged to 7,000 on 21 February, according to reports. 

The port of Yangshan in Shanghai has even managed to boost the processing-rates to above the average rates in the previous year in an effort to clear the backlog. 

The Edge Markets added that China ports are seeing fewer ships divert to other destinations because of the congestion, with only 61 containers vessels redirected to other ports outside of China last week, drastically down from the 144 vessels in early February.