Philippines’ Surigao del Sur to resume nickel ore shipments on May 8

SHANGHAI, Apr 24 (SMM) – Nickel ore shipments from the Philippines' southern province of Surigao del Sur can be resumed on May 8, while shipments from the top nickel mining hub—Surigao del Norte—are expected to recover in mid-May, SMM learned from two traders.

Vessels will be allowed to call at wharfs of Surigao del Sur one by one to load cargoes from May 8.

Surigao del Norte, home to most of the Philippines' nickel mines and accounting for more than 70% of the country’s nickel ore shipments, has suspended mining operations since April 1 to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There has yet to be statements from authorities saying when nickel ore shipments from mines across the Philippine can be resumed, as a partial lockdown of the country has just been extended by half a month to May 15.

President Rodrigo Duterte reportedly Friday approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to extend the enhanced community quarantine in high-risk areas until May 15.

Among those areas are the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and the provinces of Pangasinan, Benguet and Albay, and the islands of Mindoro and Catanduanes.

Zambales, in Central Luzon, is a major mining area for high and medium-grade nickel ore and likely to see two to three vessels of nickel ore exports affected by the extension of the strict community quarantine order. The affected volume is limited.

Other major nickel mining areas in the country are not located in high-risk regions.