CMA-CGM suspends cargo bound for South China ports in early 2021
11/12/2020 15:07
By Tom Daly
Dec 11 (Reuters) - CMA-CGM, the world's fourth-largest
container shipping line, has told customers it will not take
bookings for cargo due to arrive at ports in southern China over
several weeks in early 2021 due to a suspension of service by
feeder operators.
Feeders collect containers from smaller ports and take them
to terminals where they can be loaded onto large vessels.
CMA-CGM's move comes amid a global shortage of containers
that is likely to hamper surging exports from China as the world
stocks on up everything from appliances to personal protective
equipment after the coronavirus crisis. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2IP1TV
South China and Hong Kong feeder operators have announced
suspensions from Jan. 5 to Feb. 21 "in view of COVID-19
quarantine requirements for ship crews" before Lunar New Year,
CMA-CGM's Singapore office said in a notice to customers.
Marseille-based CMA-CGM did not immediately respond to
requests for comment on the notice, which was seen by Reuters
and dated Dec. 7.
"In light of this situation, CMA-CGM will be temporarily
suspending cargo" bound for at least 28 ports from Fuzhou in
Fujian province to Haikou on Hainan island with estimated
arrival dates over that period, the notice said.
Lunar New Year, which in 2021 falls on Feb. 12, is marked
with a week-long holiday in China that typically leads to
congestion at the country's ports.
The suspension applies to all trades except those with
CMA-CGM subsidiary CNC, the notice said, adding that service is
expected to resume after Feb. 21, pending further updates from
feeder operators.
It listed some exceptions for transhipments via Nansha,
Shekou and Hong Kong, for dry cargo only, subject to an
additional feeder surcharge.
(Reporting by Tom Daly; additional reporting by Roslan
Khasawneh in Singapore; Editing by Pratima Desai and Alexander
Smith)
((tom.daly@thomsonreuters.com; +86 10 5669 2119;))