Prime Freight’s summary of an April 2022 report by Splash247. Read the original for the full story.
In early April 2022, eleven days into its lockdown, Shanghai still had not said when restrictions would be lifted, deepening uncertainty for anyone moving freight through China.
Splash247 reported a record 19,982 new cases in one day. The port operator said Yangshan and Waigaoqiao were working normally under closed-loop arrangements, yet EU Chamber of Commerce members estimated port volumes had fallen by about 40% in a week, and FourKites data put throughput about a third lower than in mid-March. Trucking was the bottleneck, together with closed factories, warehouses and provincial highway checkpoints. ONE said slow import clearance had left reefer and dangerous goods yards at Yangshan and Waigaoqiao Phase 2 close to full, so some of those boxes might not be discharged.
The problem reached far beyond one city. Nomura counted 23 cities under full or partial lockdown, home to about 193 million people and 22% of China’s GDP, and a survey of American businesses in China found 54% had cut their 2022 revenue forecasts. Container xChange expected a rush of freight demand, and another equipment shortage, once factories restarted.
What it meant for shippers
When lockdowns stop trucking, cargo is stranded at both ends of the port, and the backlog moves into the wider network when restrictions ease. Checking whether reefer and hazardous cargo can be discharged and securing equipment early were sensible steps.