- Chinese authorities have tightened screening of crew members on vessels arriving at ports after several cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on a single vessel.
- Authorities in Zhoushan have shut parts of the port which will lead to a delay in unloading operations.
- Soybean cargoes arriving into Zhoushan port were being redirected to other available parts of the port.
Chinese port authorities in the eastern city of Zhoushan have shut parts of the port sparking fears of delay to unloading operations, reports Agri Census.
The move comes after crew members on a cargo ship loaded with Brazilian soybeans tested positive for the coronavirus.
Third phase area blocked
AIS data suggested the cargo arrived in the port on Tuesday afternoon Beijing time, with trade sources saying it had been chartered by Xiamen C&D.
“One cargo of Xiamen C&D’s soybeans berthed in Zhoushan has crew members tested [COVID-19] positive. Now the entire third-phase [area] has been blocked,” according to a message shared by four different China-based market sources.
Neither Xiamen C&D or Zhoushan port authority was reachable by time of press with the news coming after business hours in China had closed.
“The local government is implementing controls over crew changes in Manila and can only berth [in China] after 14 days of change,” one soybean trader told Agricensus. “This is going to impact port congestion again,” said one market source in the shipping sector.
Soyabean cargo crew test COVID positive
Other soybean cargoes arriving into Zhoushan port were being redirected to other available parts of the port.
China recently reported crew members on up to three soybean cargoes arriving at Chinese ports had tested positive for COVID-19 with shipowners being asked to substitute affected crew members in the Philippines before being allowed to unload in China again.
Read Also: Market waits as soybean cargo crew tests COVID-19 positive in China
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Source: Agri Census
