Heavy fog across the North China region is causing many ocean carriers in Shanghai and Ningbo to reschedule or delay sailings for several days or even weeks. Dense fog has been reported in the region for the past two to three weeks, making it difficult for shipping lines to maintain schedules and port operations.  Some vessels have canceled port calls to Shanghai, the world’s busiest container port, in order to avoid the lengthy delays.

Operations at Yangshan are beginning to resume, due to its strategic location. Yangshan, a deep-water terminal closer to the main waterway, is more than 30 kilometers off the mainland, so dense fog does not impact the region as much. Vessels en route to Shanghai terminal are more prone to dense fog due to the transit through the Yangtze River waterway.

Importers should be advised that it may be another two to three weeks before full operations in Shanghai are resumed.

Shapiro will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.