empty
13.01.2022 04:16 PM
Supplies struggle due to COVID-19 outbreaks

In an effort to avoid supply disruptions in China, cargo ships are heading to Shanghai, thereby creating bottlenecks at the world's largest port.

Supplies disruptions continue to exist because of COVID-19 outbreaks

This image is no longer relevant

According to shipping agents and experts, shipping companies are diverting ships to avoid being stranded in Ningbo, which has suspended some cargo traffic and shipments since the Covid-19 outbreak. In addition to Shanghai, ships are also being diverted to Xiamen in southern China.

The new interchanges exacerbate the wave of traffic jams at China's ports, as more and more cities here face outbreaks of the pandemic. Strict testing of workers and truckers ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year further exacerbates already strained supply chains as the pandemic continues.

Coronavirus testing does not help

Among other things, the mass coronavirus testing of residents and truckers at the country's technology center in Shenzhen in the south to contain the outbreak is contributing to congestion at ports.

The Shekou terminal began restricting the acceptance of goods, probably due to a lack of storage space and an unwillingness to be held responsible for damage to goods caused by missed delivery deadlines.

This means that since Friday, full containers can only be delivered three days before ships arrive, the terminal operator said Tuesday, January 11.

The city of Tianjin in northern China is an excellent example. Workers there were ordered to take a half-day break for Covid-19 testing because officials were trying to curb the spread of the omicron variant.

According to Alex Hersham, general manager of digital freight forwarder Zencargo, truck throughput is now half of normal, and drivers must be tested daily before entering the port.

The city of Dalian is now also affected. Two people who traveled there from Tianjin had been confirmed with omicron.

Shanghai overload

According to shipping agents, Shanghai's traffic influx is causing container ship schedules to be delayed by about a week. These delays can then spread to already-loaded gateways in the United States and Europe, as schedules for on-time delivery at ports in importing countries are disrupted.

According to Hersham of Zencargo, ships may soon begin to overpass Chinese ports due to a lack of options. However, this is likely to be a temporary issue that will intensify because of the New Year holiday period in the country.

The Chinese authorities are facing losses because of strict quarantine measures. If the official policy of strict counteraction to the coronavirus does not change in Beijing, the rest of the world risks being left without Chinese raw materials and goods.

"The port congestion issue will continue to impact restocking cycles this quarter, alongside the Omicron breakout and the impending Chinese New Year closures in China," said Josh Brazil, vice president of supply chain insights at logistics intelligence firm Project44.

Against a backdrop of rising inflation, shortages of goods and components could push prices up, and resurgent demand by spring would have an additional effect on the consumer sector, even if the omicron wave had already receded by then. Half-empty counters would put the economy into deficit. Moreover, the scarcity effect would be even greater if the rest of the world began to break out of quarantine in the spring with empty supermarket shelves.

Egor Danilov,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

US Market News Digest for March 26

Top banks are split on the S&P 500 outlook: the market remains in a zone of uncertainty. The S&P 500 is holding above a key level, but the rally lacks

Irina Maksimova 10:47 2025-03-26 UTC+2

US indices rise despite KB Home

On Tuesday, the US stock market showed moderate growth: shares of the giant Apple rushed up, while Nvidia shares went down. Investors closely reacted to fresh data on public sentiment

Thomas Frank 09:02 2025-03-26 UTC+2

US Market News Digest for March 25

Yesterday, the S&P 500 unexpectedly put on a show, jumping 1.76% to reach 5,769, a level last seen on January 13th. As if following a well-rehearsed script, the Marlin oscillator

Natalia Andreeva 11:50 2025-03-25 UTC+2

Gold Rally, Crypto Boost: March Becomes Market Breakout Month

S&P Composite PMI at 53.5 in March vs. 51.6 in February Lockheed Martin Falls After Brokerage Downgrade Crypto Stocks Rise on Bitcoin Gains European Stocks Rise Ahead of Key German

Thomas Frank 10:57 2025-03-25 UTC+2

Market at crossroads: falling Dow Transports and rising Europe

The Dow Jones Transportation Average has dropped more than 17% from its November peak. Meanwhile, European equities are climbing ahead of upcoming business activity surveys. Next week brings key reports

12:39 2025-03-24 UTC+2

Financial wars: oil, gas, and sanctions in great power game

In the world of finance, every day is a battle for market dominance. Just as traders celebrate rising prices, the tides can turn in an instant. On Friday, natural

Natalia Andreeva 12:39 2025-03-24 UTC+2

US Market News Digest for March 24

Investor frustration with the Trump administration's trade approach has triggered capital flight and negatively impacted the S&P 500. Hopes for more lenient tariff action briefly lifted market sentiment

Ekaterina Kiseleva 11:21 2025-03-24 UTC+2

Falling Dow Transports, Gaining Europe: Market at Crossroads

While the broader US stock market is showing signs of recovery, a warning light for investors is still flashing as the Dow Jones Transports signals growing concerns about the health

Thomas Frank 10:49 2025-03-24 UTC+2

US Market News Digest for March 21

US stock market in limbo despite positive economic data such as unexpected growth in existing home sales On Thursday, US benchmark stock indices closed in the red: the Dow Jones

Natalia Andreeva 14:48 2025-03-21 UTC+2

Fed's actions to keep BTC from falling? BTC seeks stability

Some analysts believe that the Federal Reserve's current monetary policy—particularly its decision to hold interest rates steady and slow down quantitative tightening (QT)—could provide meaningful support for Bitcoin. According

Larisa Kolesnikova 13:11 2025-03-21 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.