Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The authorities China closed operations at the world’s third busiest cargo terminal, Ningbo-Zhoushan port, Thursday (12/8/2021). The temporary closure was carried out because a worker was infected with the corona (Covid-19).
The port, located on the East coast, handles nearly 1.2 billion tonnes. Terminal workers tested positive Wednesday (11/8/2021).
“The company immediately stopped production work and closed the port area as soon as the infection was detected,” said Jiang Yipeng, CEO of Meidong Container Terminal, which operates the Meishan zone. AFP.
For information, the worker has been fully vaccinated. But it’s still not clear how he got infected.
There is no doubt that this closure will have huge economic costs. However, China is determined to suppress the spread of the corona virus outbreak, especially the Delta variant, as much as possible.
Meishan Terminal itself is a newly built area of the port. This location is the second mega-terminal, with a capacity of 10 million containers.
Chinese media reported that nearly 2,000 frontline workers at the Ningbo-Zhoushan port had been placed under ‘closed management’, effectively unable to leave the port, as a result of the infection. Port workers are also routinely tested for Covid-19.
This latest shutdown certainly threatens to further disrupt global shipping networks. Whereas previously, distribution channels had deteriorated after a typhoon hit China’s east coast last month.
Global shipping networks are facing the biggest ‘stress test’ due to soaring demand for goods from Western consumers amid the pandemic. This puts pressure on Chinese exporters who are facing tight domestic virus controls.
In May, a worker at the Yantian port in the southern trading hub of Shenzhen tested positive for the virus. This case halted port operations for one month, causing major shipping delays.
After controlling most of the coronavirus since mid-2020, China is now battling its worst outbreak in months due to the Delta variant.
China reported 81 new cases on Thursday, 38 of which were local transmissions. Domestic transmissions surpassed 100 on Tuesday, the first time since January. Officials say many of those infected have been vaccinated.
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