China’s second-largest container port of Ningbo-Zhoushan has processed 30 million TEU in 2021 to date, achieving a historical high despite disruptions caused by Covid-19, achieving an increase of over 4% compared to the same period last year.
Ningbo-Zhoushan’s operations have stayed resilient despite the Covid-19 onslaught that has caused congestion and a backlog.
On 11 August, the port’s Meishan Island International Container Terminal suspended operations after a worker contracted Covid-19, and resumed normal operations on 1 September. This month, a Covid-19 outbreak in Ningbo’s Zhenhai district, a petrochemicals manufacturing centre, caused delays in trucking.
Notwithstanding these challenges, Ningbo-Zhoushan managed to launch 27 new routes this year, taking to 287 the total number of routes calling at the port. Rail links to Yiwu city, which is nearby and is home to the world’s largest wholesale consumer goods market, were also launched this year.
To alleviate the container shortage, Ningbo-Zhoushan helped arrange the transport of empty containers, by offering discounts on yard usage. As of end-November, 6.89 million TEU of empty boxes have been transported this year, up 24% from the previous year.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
