Police and security members in protective suits stand outside cordoned off food stores following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China March 29, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
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BEIJING, April 3 (Reuters) – China on Sunday reported a total of 13,287 new daily cases for April 2, the highest level since February 2020, with the majority in northeastern Jilin province and the financial hub of Shanghai which has virtually locked down the entire city.
The country reported 1,506 confirmed coronavirus cases in the previous day, the national health authority said on Sunday, down from 2,129 a day earlier.
But the number of new asymptomatic cases, which China does not classify as confirmed cases, surged to 11,781 on Saturday compared with 7,869 a day earlier.
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Of the new confirmed cases, 1,455 were locally transmitted, with 956 detected from Jilin and 438 from Shanghai.
Shanghai, home of 25 million people, will carry out a city-wide antigen testing on Sunday and mass nucleic acid testing on Monday, a senior official from the Shanghai health authority said at a press conference on Sunday.
“The main task is to completely eliminate risk points and to cut off the chain of transmission so that we can curb the spread of the epidemic as soon as possible,” said Wu Qianyu, inspector from Shanghai Municipal Health Commission.
Chinese Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan on Saturday also urged Shanghai city to “make resolute and swift moves” to curb the pandemic.
The city has been striving to stop the outbreak by imposing a two-stage lockdown, prompting manufacturers to halt operations and causing severe congestion at Shanghai port, the world’s biggest container transporting hub. read more
Shanghai Port Group said in a statement that “operation at Shanghai Port is stable and orderly”.
Refinitiv data showed that congestion off Shanghai for containers and oil tankers has been easing since March 31, but the number of bulkers queuing in outer Yangtze estuary anchorage jumped to nearly 90, the highest level since early October 2021.
An acute surge of vessels waiting is also recorded at ports near Shanghai, such as Ningbo in Zhejiang province, as some firms have diverted cargos to avoid prolonged logistics turnarounds.
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Reporting by Muyu Xu, Tina Qiao and Brenda Goh: Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Stephen Coates
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March 16 (Reuters) – The Ever Forward container ship is currently grounded in the Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, nearly a year after another ship run by the same company blocked the Suez Canal for six days.
The container ship is operated by Evergreen Marine Corp Taiwan Ltd (2603.TW), the same Taiwanese transportation company that operates the Ever Given. The Ever Given ran aground last March, blocking traffic in the Suez Canal, one of the world’s busiest waterways and the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia. read more
The Coast Guard received reports on Sunday that the Ever Forward was grounded and is now conducting checks every four hours to ensure the safety of the crew on board and marine life, according to Petty Officer 3rd Class Breanna Centeno.
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The Coast Guard says the ship is grounded outside of the canal and is not blocking the traffic of other container ships.
Ever Forward container ship, owned by Evergreen Marine Corp, sits grounded in the Chesapeake Bay off the shore of Maryland, U.S., March 15, 2022. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Julio Cesar Chavez
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Cargo ship runs aground in U.S., a year after sister vessel blocked Suez Canal
Evergreen Marine said in an emailed statement that the incident had not caused a fuel leakage, and did not block the navigation channel or disrupt traffic entering or leaving the port.
“Evergreen is arranging for divers to conduct underwater inspections to confirm any damage to the vessel, and is coordinating with all the concerned parties to refloat the ship as soon as possible,” it said.
“The cause of the incident is under investigation by the competent authority.”
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Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Kenneth Maxwell
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March 9 (Reuters) – Nestle(NESN.S), Philip Morris (PM.N)and Imperial Brands (IMB.L)joined the list of multinationals stepping back from Russia on Wednesday as pressure mounts from consumers in the West to take a stand against the invasion of Ukraine.
The world’s biggest packaged food group fell into line with rivals Procter & Gamble (PG.N) and Unilever (ULVR.L) in halting investment in Russia, while cigarette maker Philip Morris said it would scale down manufacturing and Imperial went further and suspended it.
The moves came after Coca-Cola (KO.N) and McDonald’s (MCD.N) halted sales in Russia, where a senior member of the ruling party has warned that foreign firms which close down could see their operations nationalised. read more
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McDonald’s said the temporary closure of its 847 stores in the country would cost it $50 million a month. read more
Sportswear firm Adidas (ADSGn.DE)also quantified the cost of scaling back its operations, saying it would take a hit to sales of up to 250 million euros. read more
PepsiCo (PEP.O) and Starbucks (SBUX.O) have also joined the dozens of global companies closing stores, factories or exiting investments to comply with sanctions or due to supply disruptions. read more
Those supply hurdles include the world’s top three shipping giants suspending container routes.
Yum Brands Inc (YUM.N), parent of fried chicken giant KFC, said it was pausing investments in Russia, a market that helped it achieve record development last year. read more
‘LAWS OF WAR’
In response to the exodus, Andrei Turchak, secretary of the ruling United Russia party’s general council, warned that Moscow might nationalise idled foreign assets.
“United Russia proposes nationalising production plants of the companies that announce their exit and the closure of production in Russia during the special operation in Ukraine,” Turchak wrote in a statement published on the party’s website on Monday evening. read more
The statement named Finnish privately owned food companies Fazer, Valio and Paulig as the latest to announce closures.
“We will take tough retaliatory measures, acting in accordance with the laws of war,” Turchak said.
SANCTIONS
Moscow, which calls its invasion of Ukraine a “special military operation”, has been hit by sweeping Western sanctions that have choked trade, led to the collapse of the rouble and further isolated the country.
Banks and billionaires have also been targeted, with the European Commission preparing new sanctions targeting additional Russian oligarchs and politicians and three Belarusian banks, Reuters reported. read more
While the war in Ukraine and the sanctions have bolstered prices for commodities which Russia exports such as oil, natural gas and titanium, those sanctions have largely barred Moscow from taking advantage of the high prices.
On Tuesday the United States banned Russian oil imports. read more
U.S. oilfield services company Schlumberger (SLB.N), which derives about 5% of its revenue from Russia, said the ongoing conflict would likely hurt its results this quarter. read more
Global commodities trader Trafigura Group raised a $1.2 billion revolving credit facility from banks to help address soaring energy and commodity prices. read more
Norway’s Yara (YAR.OL), a top fertiliser maker, said on Wednesday it would curtail ammonia and urea output in Italy and France due to surging gas prices.
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Reporting by Reuters bureaux; writing by Sayantani Ghosh and Paul Sandle; editing by Jason Neely and Jane Merriman
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March 3 (Reuters) – Sneaker maker Nike and home furnishings firm IKEA shut down stores in Russia on Thursday, as trade restrictions and supply shutdowns added to political pressure for companies to stop business in Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine.
French bank Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) said it was working to cut its risks in Russia, fearing a tit-for-tat response by Moscow to Western sanctions, as more companies from vodka maker Diageo (DGE.L) to IKEA suspended business in the country.
Globally known companies including Apple, Ford and Shell have condemned Russia’s attack, but some of the announcements on Thursday were more practical, focused on supplies and sanctions as shipping routes closes and governments banned exports to Russia.
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Boeing Chief Executive David Calhoun, in a note to staff, acknowledged the violence in Ukraine but avoided politics.
“Moving forward, Boeing will continue to follow the lead of the U.S. government and strictly adhere to the export controls and restrictions that have been announced governing work in Russia,” he said in the note seen by Reuters, which described suspension of work in Russia and Ukraine.
Brazilian plane-maker Embraer (EMBR3.SA) joined Airbus and Boeing in halting parts supplies to Russian airlines.
Home furnishings retailer IKEA (IKEA.UL) said it would close outlets in Russia and Russian ally Belarus, affecting 15,000 workers, and described its shutdowns in non-political terms.
“The war has both a huge human impact and is resulting in serious disruptions to supply chain and trading conditions, which is why the company groups have decided to temporarily pause IKEA operations in Russia,” IKEA said in a statement. read more
Nike Inc said it was “deeply troubled by the devastating crisis in Ukraine” and described its closing of stores in this way: “Given the rapidly evolving situation, and the increasing challenges of operating our business, Nike will be pausing operations in Russia.”
Some companies and investors added up the costs of their actions.
Norway’s $1.3 trillion wealth fund said its Russian assets, worth around $3 billion before the invasion, have now become effectively worthless. read more “They are pretty much written off,” CEO Nicolai Tangen told Reuters.
TJX Cos Inc (TJX.N) said on Thursday it would sell its 25% stake in Russian low-cost apparel retailer Familia, which cost it $225 million in 2019. Because of a decline in the rouble and TJX said it may take an impairment charge due to the sale.
SANCTIONS RISKS
A man wearing a protective face mask amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) walks past a Nike brand store in central Kyiv, Ukraine December 10, 2020. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
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Underscoring the challenges global companies are facing as they comply with sanctions against Russia, Societe Generale said on Thursday it could see an “extreme scenario” where Russia strips the bank of its local operations. The lender has a $20 billion exposure to Russia. read more
Citigroup Inc (C.N) said on Wednesday it could face billions of dollars in losses on its exposure to Russia and was looking to exit Russian assets. Bank shares have taken a drubbing in recent days amid fears of possible writedowns and weaker economies. read more
Western sanctions, including shutting out some Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial network, new export controls, and closure of air space, have led dozens of global companies to pause operations in the country, hammered the rouble and forced the central bank to jack up interest rates. read more
Spanish fashion retailer Mango said on Thursday that it was temporarily closing its shops and its online sale website in Russia, and Spirits company Diageo (DGE.L), the maker of Smirnoff vodka and Guinness, said it had paused exports to Ukraine and Russia. read more
Accenture said it was discontinuing its Russian business, which had nearly 2,300 employees. read more
Britain said on Thursday it will ban Russian companies from the London insurance market, the world’s largest commercial and specialty insurance centre. read more
Hundreds of Russian soldiers and Ukrainian civilians have been killed and more than one million people have fled Ukraine in the week since President Vladimir Putin ordered the attack. read more
Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbour’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.
SCRAMBLED SUPPLIES
With a shortage of components, more carmakers are halting production at their factories in Russia, including Russia’s biggest carmaker, Avtovaz (AVAZI_p.MM) – controlled by France’s Renault (RENA.PA) – which said it would close two plants on Saturday and from March 9 to 10 due to shortage of electronic components. read more
Nissan Motor Co <7201.T > said on Thursday it has suspended vehicle exports to Russia, while Japanese peer Toyota (7203.T) said it would halt production at its Russian factory from Friday and indefinitely stop vehicle exports to the country.
The world’s biggest shipping lines, MSC and Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) have suspended container shipping to and from Russia, with Maersk saying food and medical supplies to Russia risk being damaged or spoiled due to delays at ports and customs. read more
Japan Airlines (9201.T) and ANA Holdings (9202.T), which normally use Russian airspace for their Europe flights, said they would cancel all flights to and from Europe on Thursday, joining other carriers that have canceled or rerouted flights between Europe and north Asia. read more
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Reporting by Tassilo Hummel in Paris, Jamie Freed in Sydney, Gwladys Fouche in Oslo, Illona Wissenbach in Frankfurt, Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm, Richa Naidu in London
Additional reporting by Tim Hepher in Paris, Satoshi Sugiyama in Tokyo, Mehr Bedi, Chavi Mehta, Praveen Paramasivam, Uday Sampath in Bengaluru, Megan Davies in New York, and in Madrid by Emma Pinedo
Writing by Peter Henderson, Sayantani Ghosh and John Revill
Editing by Lincoln Feast, Simon Cameron-Moore, Tomasz Janowski, Frances Kerry and Nick Zieminski
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
March 2 (Reuters) – Boeing (BA.N) suspended maintenance and technical support for Russian airlines and U.S. energy firm Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) said it would exit Russia, joining a growing list of Western companies spurning Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. tech giant Apple (AAPL.O) said it had stopped sales of iPhones and other products in Russia, while Ford Motor (F.N) joined other automakers by suspending operations in the country.
Western nations have steadily ratcheted up sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine last week, including shutting out some Russian banks from the SWIFT global financial network.
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The measures have hammered the rouble and forced the central bank to jack up interest rates, while Moscow has responded to the growing exodus of Western investors by temporarily restricting Russian asset sales by foreigners.
Russian firms, meanwhile, have felt increasingly squeezed. Sberbank (SBER.MM), Russia’s largest lender, said on Wednesday it was leaving the European market because its subsidiaries faced large cash outflows. It also said the safety of its employees and property was threatened. read more
Signalling there would be no let up from the West, U.S. President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address on Tuesday that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin “has no idea what’s coming” as he joined European states and Canada in closing U.S. airspace to Russian planes. read more
With international shippers such as Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), Hapag Lloyd (HLAG.DE) and MSC suspending bookings to and from Russia, the country has become increasingly shut out of world commerce. Sanctions are also squeezing Russia’s aviation sector.
Boeing’s said on Tuesday it was suspending operations as other aviation companies face growing European and U.S. restrictions on dealings with Russia clients, affecting leasing planes, exporting new aircraft and providing parts.
CHORUS OF CONDEMNATION
Exxon said it would not invest in new developments in Russia and was taking steps to exit the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas venture, after similar moves to dump assets by Britain’s BP , Russia’s biggest foreign investor, and Shell Plc (SHEL.L).
However, French firm TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) stopped short of saying it would exit Russia, only saying it would not put in new cash. read more
Logo at an Apple store in Washington, U.S., January 27, 2022. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
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Apple, which halted sales in Russia, said it was making changes to its Maps app to protect civilians in Ukraine.
It also joined a growing chorus of Western companies openly condemning Russian actions.
“We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand with all of the people who are suffering as a result of the violence,” Apple said.
“We deplore Russia’s military action that violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine and endangers its people,” Exxon said, while Ford said in its condemnation: “The situation has compelled us to reassess our operations in Russia.”
Motor cycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc suspended shipments of its bikes to Russia.
The increasing focus of investors in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues has added pressure on companies to act swiftly in ending ties with Russia and Russian entities.
“The only course of action for many is simply divestment,” said TJ Kistner, vice president at Segal Marco Advisors, a large U.S. pension consultant.
Big Western technology companies said they were continuing efforts to stop Russia from taking advantage of their products.
Apple said it had blocked app downloads of some state-backed news services outside of Russia.
Google, owned by Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O), said it had blocked mobile apps connected to Russian state-funded publisher RT from its news-related features, including the Google News search.
Google also barred RT and other Russian channels from receiving money for ads on websites, apps and YouTube videos, mirroring a move made by Facebook (FB.O).
Microsoft (MSFT.O) said it would remove RT’s mobile apps from its Windows App store and ban ads on Russian state-sponsored media.
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Reporting by Paresh Dave in Oakland, Ross Kerber in New York, Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Writing by Peter Henderson and Sayantani Ghosh; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Edmund Blair
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
COPENHAGEN/STOCKHOLM, Dec 14 (Reuters) – Two crew members on a British cargo vessel were found to be over the legal limit for alcohol after a collision with a Danish barge in the Baltic Sea that killed at least one person, a Swedish prosecutor and the owner of the British ship said.
The 55-metre Karin Hoj barge capsized when it crashed with the 90-metre Scot Carrier off the island of Bornholm in fog and darkness early on Monday. read more
One of the two Danish crew members from the capsized barge was found dead in the hull. The other crew member was still missing and rescue efforts were abandoned after ships and helicopters scoured the waters to no avail on Monday.
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The Swedish Prosecution Authority is investigating several suspected crimes – negligence in maritime traffic, causing death through negligence, and marine intoxication.
Two of the Scot Carrier’s crew, a Briton and a Croatian, remained in custody on Tuesday as part of the preliminary investigation. The prosecutor has until Thursday to decide whether to hold the suspects longer.
“The suspects that are in custody have both tested positive for alcohol,” Public Prosecutor Tomas Olvmyr told Reuters. “One person is suspected of gross marine intoxication based on actions in connection with the accident.”
The lawyer representing the Croatian suspect had not yet spoken to his client, with interviews scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
The Briton in custody was suspected on multiple counts, including causing death through negligence, and had been on watch at the time of the collision, after which the smaller Danish ship capsized.
The Briton’s lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.
“As things look at present, the two ships have moved in parallel and then one of the ships has swerved and run into the other one,” Olvmyr said.
Scotline, which owns the Scot Carrier, said in a statement it has a strict drug and alcohol policy in place and zero tolerance of any breaches.
The overturned Karin Hoj was towed into shallow water on Monday to allow divers to gain access without the risk of being pulled down if it sinks. The Swedish Coastguard plans to move it again to a place where it can be turned upright.
“It’s not likely the second (missing) person is there,” Swedish Coastguard spokesperson Valdemar Lindekrantz said. “But we can’t be absolutely sure until we’ve righted the ship and examined every single space.”
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Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Writing by Niklas Pollard; Editing by Timothy Heritage
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STOCKHOLM, Dec 13 (Reuters) – Two cargo ships collided on Monday in the Baltic Sea between the Danish island of Bornholm and the southern Swedish city of Ystad and a rescue operation was launched for at least two people, Danish and Swedish authorities said.
The ship Karin Hoej, registered in Denmark, had capsized and was upside down, the Swedish Maritime Administration said. It had two people on board and they were missing, the Danish Defence’s Joint Operations Centre (JOC) said.
The other ship, the British-registered Scot Carrier, was functional and its crew was safe.
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“I can confirm an accident has happened but I do not know the circumstances,” Soren Hoj, managing director of the shipping company Rederiet Hoj, which owns the Karin Hoej.
The vessel, which was not loaded, was sailing from Sodertalje in Sweden to Nykobing Falster in southern Denmark with two people on board, he said.
“A major rescue operation is taking place,” Hoj said.
A spokesperson for the Danish Meteorological Institute said there was fog in the area at the time of the accident, around 3.30 a.m.
The accident happened in Swedish territorial waters and the two ships were sailing in the same direction when they came into contact, the Danish JOC said.
Denmark was helping Swedish authorities with the rescue. A rescue boat has been launched from Bornholm island and a helicopter had also been dispatched from the Danish side.
Civilian vessels in the vicinity were also helping the search and rescue mission.
Swedish news agency TT cited a Swedish coastguard spokesman as saying one of the vessels was 90 metres long and the other was 55 metres.
Denmark’s JOC was not immediately able to say whether the ships carried any hazardous cargo.
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Reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm, Nikolaj Skydsgaard and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen in Copenhagen; Writing by Stine Jacobsen; Editing by Tom Hogue, Robert Birsel
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A bird’s-eye view of ships along the coast in Singapore July 9, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo
Indonesian navy detains ships waiting near Singapore port
Shipowner sources say costs $300,000 to have them released
Navy denies receiving or asking for money
Arrests come as pandemic delays cause port congestion
SINGAPORE, Nov 14 (Reuters) – More than a dozen shipowners have made payments of about $300,000 apiece to release vessels detained by the Indonesian navy, which said they were anchored illegally in Indonesian waters near Singapore, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
The dozen sources include shipowners, crew and maritime security sources all involved in the detentions and payments, which they say were either made in cash to naval officers or via bank transfer to intermediaries who told them they represented the Indonesian navy.
Reuters was not able to independently confirm that payments were made to naval officers or establish who the final recipients of the payments were.
The detentions and payments were first reported by Lloyd’s List Intelligence, an industry website.
Rear Admiral Arsyad Abdullah, the Indonesian naval fleet commander for the region, said in a written response to Reuters’ questions that no payments were made to the navy and also that it did not employ any intermediaries in legal cases.
“It is not true that the Indonesian navy received or asked for payment to release the ships,” Abdullah said.
He said there had been an increasing number of detentions of ships in the past three months for anchoring without permission in Indonesian waters, deviating from the sailing route or stopping mid-course for an unreasonable amount of time. All the detentions were in accordance with Indonesian law, Abdullah said.
The Singapore Strait, one of the busiest waterways in the world, is crowded with vessels waiting for days or weeks to dock at Singapore, a regional shipping hub where the COVID-19 pandemic has led to long delays.
Singapore’s waterways are among the busiest in the world
Ships have for years anchored in waters to the east of the Strait while they wait to port, believing they are in international waters and therefore not responsible for any port fees, two maritime analysts and two shipowners said.
The Indonesian navy says this area comes within its territorial waters and it intends to crack down harder on vessels anchoring there without a licence.
A spokesperson for the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, a government agency, declined to comment.
CRAMPED DETENTION
Around 30 ships, including tankers, bulk carriers and a pipeline layer, have been detained by the Indonesian navy in the last three months and the majority have since been released after making payments of $250,000 to $300,000, according to two shipowners and two maritime security sources involved.
Making these payments is cheaper than potentially losing out on revenue from ships carrying valuable cargo, like oil or grain, if they are tied up for months while a case is heard in Indonesian court, two shipowners said.
Two crew members of detained ships said armed navy sailors approached their vessels on warships, boarded them and escorted the ships to naval bases on Batam or Bintan, Indonesian islands south of Singapore, across the Strait.
The ship captains and often crew members were detained in cramped, sweltering rooms, sometimes for weeks, until shipowners organised cash to be delivered or a bank transfer was made to an intermediary of the navy, two detained crew members said.
Abdullah, the Indonesian naval officer, said ship crew members were not detained.
“During the legal process, all crew of the ships were on board their ships, except for questioning at the naval base. After the questioning, they were sent back to the ships,” he said.
Path of vessels that were detained near Singapore and then released by Indonesian authorities
Stephen Askins, a London-based maritime lawyer who has advised owners whose vessels have been detained in Indonesia, said the navy was entitled to protect its waters but if a ship was detained, then some form of prosecution should follow.
“In a situation where the Indonesian navy seems to be detaining vessels with an intention to extort money it is difficult to see how such a detention could be lawful,” Askins told Reuters in an email. He declined to give details about his clients.
Marine Lieutenant Colonel La Ode Muhamad Holib, an Indonesian navy spokesperson, told Reuters in a written response to questions that some vessels detained in the last three months had been released without charge due to insufficient evidence.
Five ship captains were being prosecuted and two others had been given short prison sentences and fined 100 million rupiah ($7,000) and 25 million rupiah, respectively, Holib said, declining to elaborate further on the specific cases.
($1 = 14,240 rupiah)
Reporting by Joe Brock in Singapore; additional reporting by David Lewis in Nairobi; graphics by Gavin Maguire; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan
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Oct 24 (Reuters) – A fire broke out on Saturday on containers on a cargo ship carrying mining chemicals off British Columbia, and the Canadian Coast Guard said it is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess the situation, including environmental hazards.
Sixteen crew members have been evacuated from the MV Zim Kingston, while five remained onboard to fight the fire, the Canadian Coast Guard said in a statement late on Saturday.
Ten containers were currently burning, it said, adding the fire continued to spread but the ship itself was not on fire.
The agency said it was working with its U.S. counterpart to track 40 containers that had fallen overboard, saying they pose a significant risk to mariners.
“Mariners are advised to stay clear of the area. Currently there is no safety risk to people on shore, however the situation will continue to be monitored.”
Video obtained by Reuters showed fire cascading down from the deck of the ship into the water.
The Zim Kingston reported on Friday that it had encountered rough weather west of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
“This is extremely concerning. The ship and containers are very close to Victoria, BC, and a big storm is forecast to hit tonight. We… are worried this may be yet another environmental disaster,” said David Boudinot, president of Surfrider Foundation Canada, an environmental organization.
Eikon Refinitiv data shows the Maltese-flagged Zim Kingston is managed by Cyprus-based Danaos Shipping Co Ltd.
Reporting by Bhargav Acharya, Chris Helgren and Nur-Azna Sanusi
Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Frances Kerry
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People should buy normally for Christmas – minister
Maersk diverts vessels from UK’s biggest port
Trucker shortage snarls Felixstowe
Maersk says lack of truck drivers is a problem
PM Johnson is on holiday
LONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) – Britain said on Wednesday that people should buy normally for Christmas and there would be no shortage of gifts, after shipping containers carrying toys and electrical goods were diverted from the country’s biggest port because it was full.
Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company, has diverted some vessels from Felixstowe port in eastern England because a lack of truck drivers means there is nowhere left to stack containers.
“I’m confident that people will be able to get their toys for Christmas,” Conservative Party co-Chairman Oliver Dowden told Sky. He said he was sure Christmas gifts would be delivered this year.
Dowden, a cabinet minister without portfolio, said the issues at the port were easing and the supply chain problems facing the world’s fifth largest economy were global – such as a shortage of truckers and port congestion.
“The situation is improving,” Dowden said, referring to Felixstowe, which handles 36% of the country’s containerised freight. Asked whether people should start to buy now for Christmas, he said: “I would say just buy as you do normally.”
He said Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is on holiday abroad, was very much engaged with domestic and international issues. “He’s very much engaged with the job.”
Britain’s economy is forecast to grow at 6.8% this year, the fastest in the G7 leading economies, though supply chain disruption and inflationary pressures are constraining the global economy, the International Monetary Fund said.
A view shows stacked shipping containers at the port of Felixstowe, Britain, October 13, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
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Britain’s economy returned to growth in August after contracting for the first time in six months in July.
But its exit from the European Union has exacerbated some of the problems by constricting immigration.
Britain is short of about 100,000 truckers, leading to queues for fuel at filling stations and worries about getting food into supermarkets, with a lack of butchers and warehouse workers also causing concern.
“Felixstowe is currently among one of the affected ports. The main factors in addition to pandemic impact behind this situation are high consumption demand and lack of truck drivers for land side distribution,” Maersk said.
It was diverting some ships “to alternate continental ports” to regulate the flow of cargo and minimise the impact on supply chains and British consumers ahead of Christmas, it said.
A lack of labour is also affecting farmers.
Two sisters running a pig farm in northeast England urged Johnson to lift strict immigration rules for butchers or risk seeing the pork sector collapse under the weight of overly fattened animals.
“The pressure is like pressure we’ve never had before, emotionally it’s absolutely draining, financially it’s crippling,” Vicky Scott told Reuters over the squeals of a couple of hundred pigs. “We’re in a fairly bad place right now.”
Additional reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen in Copenhagen; Editing by Alistair Smout and Barbara Lewis
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
