Global Logistics Tracking

The outbreak and subsequent spread of the coronavirus has had a large impact on global commodities supply chains. There have been many factors to consider, as we have seen each stage of these supply chains come under enormous pressure. One of these factors is port restrictions, which have impeded the efficiency of trade in certain geographies and led to delayed or cancelled shipments, re-adjustment of flows and necessary innovation in order to keep trade moving. To keep our clients up to date we been reporting on port restrictions as they have developed on our app, Czapp.

We have found that port restrictions have become a major consideration in our and our client’s operations. We have seen the number of restrictions grow as the outbreak has spread and anticipate this could continue in the weeks to come. To combat this challenge, we created a new function in Czapp that allows users to gain insight into port restriction developments as they happen. The Global Logistics Tracker is an interactive map that enables you to receive information on the restrictions that are currently in place and stay updated as the situation develops.

It appears as a large global map with a colour coded system to indicate areas of pressure, as below:

2021 Country Updates

You will see these updates on The Global Logistics Tracker. Here, we detail the relevant safety and sanitation rules for each location. These vary from country to country and related delays must be taken into account when importing and exporting in these areas.

Algeria

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• Algerian borders remain closed. 
• No ports have closed yet, but vessels coming from Italy might be detained on anchorage for 14 days prior to berthing. 
• The health authorities board the vessel at anchor to check the crew. 
• At Djendjen Port, vessel disinfection is carried out before berthing. 

Angola 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• Cargo vessels are still allowed upon clearance before berthing operations. 
• All trade vessels calling local ports will be requested to submit a list of their 10 previous port calls, as well as their crew list, specifying each sign-on date and maritime health declaration. 

Argentina 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• All vessels must present mandatory documents 72 hours before their arrival at Recalada Pilot Station. 
• Vessels coming from any of the affected areas (including Brazil and Chile) within the latest 14 days, must send copies of the Medical Record on board to the health authority when requesting the Free Pratique. 

Bahrain 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• No vessel will be granted entry to Bahrain’s territorial water unless the necessary documents are fully received 72 hours prior the vessel’s arrival. 

Belgium 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• All Belgian ports are open and operational, but working at a slower rate, due to the limited number of labourers available. 

Brazil

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• No new cruise ships will be accepted until the Plan of Response to the Public Health Emergencies (ESPIN) is in force.  
• Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is working to get authorization for “humanitarian” calls for some cruise lines not authorized to call at other South American ports.  
• If any cases are confirmed, 14 days of quarantine is compulsory. 
• No ports are closed at present. 

China 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• Free Pratique will be granted, subject to all crews being in good health and the Department of Health having provided final approval of the ‘Application of Free Pratique’. 
• Immigration facilities at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and Ocean Terminal are suspended until further notice. 
• All ports are operating as normal. This includes discharge, loading, berthing and unberthing. 
• The loading and discharging processes are slower than usual, due to lack of stevedores.  
• Affected ports include Shanghai, Tianjin, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Jing Tang and Caofeidian. 
• Unaffected ports include Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen and Guangzhou. 

Egypt 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• Marine port authorities have requested that all agents report if any vessels are expected to arrive from China, USA, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia and any other country where the virus was detected. 
• They must also apply for the vessel berthing at least four days ahead of arrival, so any special quarantine arrangements are being made for clearing the vessel at anchorage, prior to allowing it to proceed to berth. 

France 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• Most ports have decided to reduce the size of their teams. 
• Service is still in force but it is impossible to berth, sail or anchor between 2300hrs and 0500hrs. 
• Vessels can berth as normal if no on-board cases have been declared by the vessel’s master. 

Germany 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• There are currently delays at ports. 
• Hamburg is no longer allowing embarkation or disembarkation of vessels from shore side. 
• Only persons who are directly involved in cargo operations, such as surveyors, loading masters and terminal workers, are permitted to embark and disembark. 

India

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• Limited Free Pratique has been granted. 
• All ports have now confirmed that the vessels coming from China are subject to a mandatory 14 day quarantine.  
• There is currently no mandatory quarantine in place for ships coming from infected countries other than China.  
• All ports are open and operational with limited resource, apart from Port Redi, which is not accepting vessels. 
• Karwar port has now resumed operations. 
• No port locations have reported any operational issues. 

Ireland

Expected Closures: No

Expected Delays: No 

• All ports are still in operation. 
• As of yet, there are no restrictions on any cargo vessels trading in and out of Ireland. 
• The only requirement on vessels is to submit an MDOH at least 24 hours prior to arrival and that all crew members are healthy.  
• No vessels are being placed in quarantine, regardless of their previous port of call.  

Kenya 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• No Kenyan ports have been closed yet. 
• Delays of 24-48 hours are to be expected, however. 

Malaysia 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• As of the 25^th March, Teluk Rubiah Marine Terminal halted operations until further notice, due to staff safety concerns. 
• Other ports are still operating as normal, with approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of delay, due the Port Health Inspection. 

Mauritius 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• At Port Louis, a protocol to service vessels that have sailed less than 14 days from the last port of call has been finalised with the Health Authorities. 
• Since 20^th March, stevedores handling bulk and conventional cargoes are working up to 2100 hours. 

Mozambique

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• Vessels coming to Maputo must send the following documents to the agent ahead of their arrival; these will be forwarded to all authorities. 
• They must state their last 10 ports of call, provide a full crew list with all details (including their last port of embarkation), a declaration of crew health on board and/or an MDOH. 

The Netherlands 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• Vessels calling at Dutch ports must submit an MDOH prior to their arrival. 
• Dutch Ports also have several vital functions that needs to be protected, like the production of energy, the processing of waste, and the supplying of drinking water. 

Singapore 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• Singapore’s shipyards and marine industries look set to suspend work for a month as the Government closes all workplaces, except for those in essential services and key economic sectors, to close in the fight against COVID-19. 
• The measures are to take effect from next Tuesday (7^th April) and be in place for one month until 4^th May. 

Spain 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• Only essential services are allowed to be on the streets. 
• You are permitted to travel if alone to purchase food, medical supplies or to go to hospital. 
• Fines of up to EUR 600 are in place for offenders disobeying the curfew. 
• Spanish ports remain open, but they are facing restrictions. 

Tanzania 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• Vessels must send a crew list, a port of call list, the MDOH and any information for a sick crew member at least 48 hours ahead of their arrival. 
• Free Practique is issued after Port Health inspections have been carried out. 
• Vessels arriving from affected countries will be quarantined for 14 days if the transit time is less than 14 days. 

Thailand

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• Passenger vessels and other vessel types are not allowed to enter Thai waters in most circumstances now. 
• Vessels carrying key cargoes are still able to call at Thailand, but a prompt departure is required after the mission is completed. 
• They must also enter Thailand with a strict schedule of when they intend to depart. 

Turkey 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• Ships that have called at an infected country over the last 14 days must provide a full list of the crews’ body temperatures. 
• This list must be provided at least three days ahead of arrival. 
• Vessels that have come from infected countries must also be inspected by the Health Authorities before pilots can board. 
• They must ensure the bridge is disinfected before the pilots board as well. 

United Arab Emirates 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: Yes 

• We have received notification that vessels arriving from Iran will not be permitted to enter any UAE ports. 
• Major shipping lines continue to operate as normal, with the usual impact of blank sailings. 
• The feeders’ services within the region have not been affected, however, rates have been impacted with equipment imbalance surcharges impacting certain trade lanes.  
• Shipping lines are currently only working on spot or FAK rates. 
• The Port and Customs Authorities continue to work as normal, so the flow of cargo has not yet been affected. 

USA 

Expected Closures: No 

Expected Delays: No 

• As of the 2^ndApril, the Port of Anchorage in Alaska will be closed for the remainder of the week as an employee tested positive for COVID-19. 
• Port Canaveral, Port of Palm Beach, Port Everglades and Miami are all working as normal for now, with no restrictions in place.  
• All maritime crews in Hawaii will be confined to their vessel until further notice. 
• US Customs and Border Protection will work with carriers on a case-by-case basis. 
• A labour shortage has been an issue as our labour pools are restricting workers to jobs only in the counties that they live in. 

At Czarnikow, we commit to being vigilant in identifying and mitigating emerging risks and work to ensure the movement of food and beverages is as smooth as possible. This requires flexibility, transparency and innovation, which is why we will continue to develop new features on Czapp to support our industry.

Author: Carys Wright and Ashwini Pai

Image: Andy Li