The China conundrum

Supply chain radar: 2022 – the year of direct government intervention

Goodbye 2021, we’re done. But watch out, here comes 2022!
How lucky
I recently argued that we are in a supply chain stalemate, as ports around the world remain congested due to excessive numbers of out-of-position empty containers not being loaded for repatriation by the world’s shipping lines, among other factors.
But how can this be addressed?
Before mowing on, a cocky round of self-applause as shipping trouble was my last column of 2020, …

The post Supply chain radar: 2022 – the year of...

https://theloadstar.com/supply-chain-radar-2022-the-year-of-direct-government-intervention/

Vishal Sharma is DB Schenker’s new CEO of Greater China Cluster

DB Schenker has appointed Vishal Sharma (above) as its new CEO of the Greater China Cluster, from tomorrow.
Mr Sharma joined DB Schenker in May 2018 as the CEO of the Indian Subcontinent Cluster, “overseeing strong growth and performance, even amid trying times in the past two years”, it said.
“I am humbled and honoured to be joining the Greater China Cluster team, which occupies pride of place and plays a significant …

The post Vishal Sharma is DB Schenker’s new CEO of Greater China Cluster...

https://theloadstar.com/vishal-sharma-is-db-schenkers-new-ceo-of-greater-china-cluster/

US harassing Chinese crews raises questions of ‘discriminatory enforcement’

According to this report from the China Daily, recent weeks have seen increased numbers of US law officials boarding Chinese containerships investigating crew members’ links to the Chinese Communist Party. As of the beginning of November, some 21 China-flagged vessels, including some owned by container line Cosco and ship-to-shore gantry crane manufacturer ZPMC (which operates a fleet of heavylift vessels to take its cranes around the world) had been boarded as …

The post US harassing Chinese...

https://theloadstar.com/us-harassing-chinese-ship-and-air-crews-raises-questions-of-discriminatory-enforcement/

China disinfects cold chain shipments to avoid more infection

There have been growing suspicions among medical officers tracking Covid infection sources that the perishables supply chain may be providing the virus with an easy route to global markets. A new decree from the Chinese government that every imported cool chain shipment must be disinfected is further evidence for this hypothesis. According to Bloomberg: “Contaminated frozen pork from Germany may have infected a port worker in Tianjin, the local health …

The post China disinfects cold chain...

https://theloadstar.com/china-disinfects-cold-chain-shipments-to-avoid-more-infection/

New Indian procurement rules hit Chinese crane suppliers

It would appear to be a classic example of the law of unintended consequences – one of the more unexpected fallouts from the rising tension between China and India is the impact on the latter’s container ports, given that virtually every crane operating these facilities was built in China, which has a near-monopoly on their manufacture. However, an Indian government order last week now stipulates that any supplier from a …

The post New Indian procurement rules hit Chinese crane suppliers...

https://theloadstar.com/new-indian-procurement-rules-hits-chinese-crane-suppliers/

Jana Schebera appointed MD of Tigers operations in China

Tigers has appointed Jana Schebera (pictured above) as the new managing director of its China operations.
Ms Schebera has spent over a decade in the freight industry and was most recently MD for Hong Kong and South China at Rhenus Logistics. Prior to that she held a variety of business development roles at M+R Spedag Group.
Tigers chief executive Andrew Jillings said: “Jana brings a sound forwarding knowledge to the China team and, …

The post Jana Schebera appointed MD of Tigers operations in...

https://theloadstar.com/jana-schebera-appointed-md-of-tigers-operations-in-china/

India/China armed clash sparks delay and extra costs to cross-border trade

Trade between China and India has suffered following a deadly border skirmish last month.
Since the brutal clash in the Himalayas on 15 June, which reportedly left 20 Indian soldiers dead, retaliatory measures between New Delhi and Beijing quickly spilled over into increased customs checks and delays for Chinese shipments entering India.
However, freight forwarders in India told The Loadstar exports from both sides had been affected.
“There are instances where buyers in …

The post India/China...

https://theloadstar.com/india-china-armed-clash-sparks-delay-and-extra-costs-to-cross-border-trade/

China shipments stuck at India ports show casualties of standoff

Following the deadly clash of Indian and Chinese troops along the disputed border in the Himalayas, numerous reports out of India suggest that customs officials have been told to physically inspect every ex-China import container unloaded at Indian docks. According to BNN Bloomberg: “From active pharmaceutical ingredients that go into the world’s most-consumed drugs to the innards of popular mobile phones, Indian companies purchase Chinese raw materials that feed their …

The post China shipments...

https://theloadstar.com/china-shipments-stuck-at-india-ports-show-casualties-of-standoff/

Supply chain radar: Private investigations – the China Merchants conundrum

Someone’s been spilling the beans in Hong Kong this week when they told a Bloomberg reporter that state-owned China Merchants Group (CMG) has been thinking it would be a neat idea to take its port operating subsidiary private.
China Merchants Port Holdings (CMPorts) is currently listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with Bloomberg estimating that CMG currently owns some 63% of the shares.
CMPorts issued a flat, although admittedly weirdly worded, …

The post Supply chain radar: Private...

https://theloadstar.com/supply-chain-radar-private-investigations-the-china-merchants-conundrum/

Chinese puzzle for box ship operators with new ban on open-loop scrubbers

When demand for container shipping renews, vessels returning to China to load exports could find themselves on wrong side of a new emissions law.
At the weekend, the country banned the use of open-loop scrubbers with the ministry of transportation’s 2020 Global Fuel Oil Sulphur Limitation Order Implementation Plan (2020 plan).
It prohibits the use of fuel oil with a sulphur content exceeding 0.5% within 12 miles of China, vessels entering its …

The post Chinese puzzle for box ship operators with...

https://theloadstar.com/chinese-puzzle-for-box-ship-operators-with-new-ban-on-open-loop-scrubbers/

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