Container lessor Florens Asset Management Company (Florens) has reported a surge in container orders at its factory in China’s Lianyungang Port, since Chinese ports resumed normal operations in late March 2020.
Formed from the merger of two container lessors, Florens Container Holdings and Dongfang International Investment, in 2016, Florens is part of COSCO Shipping Development, which is also active in ship leasing.
A Florens official told Container News, “We’re now rushing an order for 6,000 x 20ft containers for Zhonggu Shipping Group. The production line is manned by 130 workers and can churn out 300 x 20ft containers every day.”
Work in China’s ports was disrupted by the Covid-19 outbreak that surfaced in Wuhan in December 2019 and has since escalated into a global pandemic.
Florens counts the world’s 20 largest liner operators among its customers and as of March 2020, owns a fleet of 3.65 million TEU. As a Chinese company, Florens claims to play an active role in the development of China’s Belt and Road initiative, by powering throughput across the country’s container ports.
The Florens official said, “We have received orders for another 16,000TEU after customers heard that we had resumed normal operations.”
In order to expedite the resumption of operations, central and provincial authorities stepped up epidemic prevention measures in Jiangsu Free Trade Pilot Zone (Lianyungang) where Florens’ factory is.
Lianyungang officials, anxious to jumpstart the local economy, are making all-out efforts to ensure that no Covid-19-linked factors can cause any disruption. Their efforts are based on the principles of reducing the burdens on enterprises, increasing financial support and stabilising the workforce.
Authorities have provided financial support of approximately CNY100 million (US$14.13 million) for 14 small and medium enterprises, helping to create 2,800 jobs to help 1,300 job seekers.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
