Customs Clearance and Shipments Issues at North China Ports Can Hardly Improve amid Pandemic Prevention and Control Policy

SHANGHAI, Dec 2 (SMM) – According to SMM survey, important ports in north China are still affected to varying degrees by the interference of the pandemic. Among them, the impact on Alashankou port and Erlianhot port have been significant.

Although Alashankou port has not closed, the speed of customs clearance has been significantly slowed amid the pandemic prevention and control. A large volume of copper concentrates and copper cathode stranded at the ports. The Erlianhot port has suspended the imports and reception of non-containerised cargoes from November 28. The time when the suspension will be lifted in indeterminate.

Ganqimaodu port will be closed for one week from the end of November. Although customs clearance is expected to resume on December 3, the speed of customs clearance and delivery is unlikely to improve significantly in the short term.

The import volume by north China ports has been significantly affected by the interference of the pandemic prevention and control since the fourth quarter of this year. The import volume of copper concentrate from Kazakhstan in October decreased by 87.52% year-on-year to only 13,200 mt. This forced the smelters in north China to turn to the seaborne spot cargoes, lowering the TCs of spot imported copper concentrate slightly in the fourth quarter.