Lizzy is a member of the marketing team here at Seven Seas Worldwide. She has over ten years of experience writing for print and digital and is incredibly passionate about creating content that both entertains customers and answers their queries.
How is this crisis affecting our shipping to China services?
Just as the world is beginning to settle into a "new normal", China has recorded its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the virus took hold of Wuhan in January 2020 at the start of the global pandemic. With infection rates skyrocketing across the country, the Chinese government has implemented a strict zero-Covid (or total virus elimination) strategy to protect citizens and curb the spread of this destructive disease.
With several major cities, including Shanghai and Beijing, in lockdown, preventing tens of millions of people from leaving their homes, the reinstation of mandatory quarantine periods and coronavirus testing, and travel restrictions prohibiting cross-border trucking, the knock-on effects of these regulations are severely impacting the logistics industry worldwide. Over 9,000 container ships are currently sitting in traffic jams outside congested Chinese ports, stalling the transportation of all types of cargo, from basic staples like food and medicine to luxury items such as new cars. And unfortunately, these pileups are causing significant delays in shipping personal belongings to and from the country.
Firstly, the Chinese government has implemented a "closed-loop system" that prevents people from crossing different provinces, leaving ports incredibly understaffed and stopping our trucks from transporting your belongings between depots and addresses. Secondly, shipments are currently unable to leave China or clear customs to enter the country, resulting in a backlog of containers waiting to continue their journey.
However, while we're unable to predict how long these delays might last, our team is working tirelessly with the Chinese authorities to get the process moving, and we'll continue to update you as and when officials provide us with further information.
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience these new procedures may cause and thank you for your continued patience during this challenging time. Although we completely understand how frustrating these restrictions can be, it’s essential we keep each other safe by working together to slow the spread of Covid-19.
Please feel free to contact our friendly and knowledgeable team if you have any further questions or concerns — they speak a variety of different languages, including Thai, English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Afrikaans, and are always happy to offer their assistance.
Here are some additional resources if you would like to learn more about how China's zero-Covid policy is affecting global shipping and supply chains: