Notwithstanding the Covid-19 outbreak in China’s Fujian province, SITC International has signed a three-year collaboration agreement with Xiamen Port Group, pledging to use Xiamen as a regional hub port in Fujian province, taking advantage of the port’s position along China’s Belt and Road initiative.
SITC is the parent company of intra-Asia carrier SITC Container Lines.
During the signing ceremony, Xiamen Port Group general manager Cai Liqun said, “SITC has shipping resources at its disposal worldwide. Xiamen, being the world’s 14th busiest container port, and SITC can join forces and complement each other’s advantages to create a container hub port, focusing on China’s southeastern coastal areas, leveraging on the Belt and Road initiative, and going global, and achieve high-quality development and beyond.”
SITC vice-chairman Yang Xianxiang alluded to Xiamen’s conducive business environment.
“Xiamen has industrial, capital, manpower and innovation-based advantages. As a member of the Silk Road Maritime International Forum, SITC will continue to plot its service routes based on the Belt and Road routes in Xiamen,” said Yang.
On 18 September, Xiamen’s municipal officials asked residents to stay home after that week saw 92 locally transmitted Covid-19 infections.
However, Linerlytica analyst Tan Hua Joo told Container News that for now, the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak in Xiamen is less serious on container shipping.
Tan explained, “Xiamen has a smaller number of direct services to Europe and US, compared to Shenzhen and Shanghai/Ningbo so the impact will not be as severe and the lines will likely skip the Xiamen port call in the event of a port closure.”
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
