Typhoon Bebinca Disrupts Ports

Port operations in Shanghai and Ningbo were significantly affected by Typhoon Bebinca, leading to disruptions in vessel schedules.

Bebinca is the strongest typhoon to strike Shanghai since 1949. It passed the Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai as the strongest storm in 75 years.

Departures from Shanghai’s container terminals became irregular as the storm caused serious vessel congestion, which further impacted schedules at destination ports. Ships that moved away from the port in anticipation of the storm returned en masse, contributing to congestion and resulting in long-lasting delays.

Data from EconDB indicates that vessel arrivals in Shanghai halved with virtually no ships arriving at the world’s busiest port on Saturday 14 September. Similarly, the situation at Ningbo port showed a nearly 90% decrease in vessel arrivals, with no vessels docking on Sunday 15 September.

Bebinca is the strongest typhoon to strike Shanghai since 1949

Operations for loading and discharging containers in Shanghai’s Yangshan and Waigang areas were halted on 14 September, while Ningbo suspended container operations on Saturday. In response to the situation, truck drivers from outside Shanghai were provided temporary accommodation over the weekend, as reported by China’s Xinhua News.

On 17 September, Hapag-Lloyd announced that vessels were experiencing wait times of 36 to 60 hours to berth in Shanghai while the port managed the disruptions. Waiting times in Ningbo were estimated to be around 24 to 48 hours.