All ships entering China will have to wait for 14 to 21 days due to the new quarantine requirements for vessels, and the actual number of days of delay will depend on their previous port of departure.
The main reason behind the new rule is the outbreak of Covid-19 in some parts of China. Ports near Shanghai have been facing their worst congestion in at least three years.
Without completing the quarantine period, ships are not allowed to enter ports. The implementation of new requirements has caused ships to wait at ports and has led to further congestion. One market player said that freight rates will likely increase further in the near future. This has led to an increase of lead times for ex-ASEAN billet cargoes to “a total of 28 days including voyage time,” an international trader said.