Torch procession to halt chems transport in S China

06 May 2008 11:19  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Land transportation of several petrochemical products has been banned in southern China from 6-10 May during the passage of the Olympics torch relay through that region, said traders on Tuesday.

Transportation of hazardous chemicals such as acetic acid, aromatics, toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) and purified terephthalic acid (PTA) by truck has been forbidden in the Guangdong area due to the arrival of the Olympics torch, they added.

The torch relay will begin in Guangzhou tomorrow, and the government will prohibit trucks with dangerous chemicals into urban districts from 6-10 May, the local traffic department said.

A PTA trader in Xiamen city also said there would be limited transport of dangerous chemicals allowed during the torch relay.

From 7-13 May, the torch relay will cover Fujian and Guangdong provinces, including the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Huizhou, Shantou, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen and Longyan.

The Olympics torch is due to reach Guangzhou city on 7 May after its tour of Haikou city the previous day and would continue its relay to Shenzhen on 8 May.

It would have a limited effect in some of the petrochemical markets, as the government had given a week’s notice ahead of the ban and most traders and end-users had prepared for this eventuality well ahead of the ban, said traders.

A TDI logistics company said that transportation of the product in Guangdong province would be restricted due to the Olympics torch relay and also during the Games itself, although he added some companies would still deliver the material in the evenings.

“It’s impossible for people to stop working completely due these periods,” he said.

“Most end-users had bought (cargoes) before the restriction [came into force],” said a South China-based aromatics trader, adding that they had replenished their tanks in advance for this too.

Chow Bee Lin, Judith Wang, Doris Huang, Sandra Shen contributed to this article

By: Mahua Chakravarty
+65 6780 4359

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