(Yicai Global) April 13 -- The Chinese government has asked transport authorities nationwide to spare no effort in keeping the country’s ports and harbors in areas hit by new outbreaks of Covid-19 open and operating in an orderly way.

Ports and harbors should make sure that transport routes are unimpeded so as to reduce the impact of the latest wave of the coronavirus on the economy and social development as much as possible, the Ministry of Transport said in a file to the China Ports & Harbors Association, the China Shipowners' Association and other transport authorities yesterday.

They should not block sea routes, close locks nor reduce the number of calls without authorization, it said.

The Port of Shanghai must do its best to run smoothly, it said. Efforts must be made to coordinate with international liner companies to efficiently allocate container space to ensure that there is enough capacity running along China’s main foreign trade sea routes, it said.

Ships carrying medical and pandemic control and prevention materials, daily necessities and other important supplies such as grain, fuel and fertilizers should be given priority to berth and depart, it said.

Transport authorities in areas hit by the pandemic should provide the necessary support for commuting workers at ports and harbors. Those in locked-down areas must arrange for employees to stay at the ports. Port companies in the frontline should make sure they have enough staff to keep the harbors running 24 hours a day.

Better facilities should be offered to truck drivers and sailors at the ports, such as catering, restrooms, quarantine check points.

Freight forwarding companies must pick up their goods as soon as possible and make good use of electronic permits to make sure their container trucks can move in and out of the ports smoothly.

There will be stable demand for coal and grain transport along the coast this year, the Ministry of Transport said last month. It estimated that inland waterway transport along the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers will grow steadily. Demand and fees for container transport though will fluctuate amid uncertainties caused by the pandemic.

Editor: Kim Taylor