Transport curbs affect China chem distribution

15 July 2008 12:24  [Source: ICIS news]

SHANGHAI (ICIS news)--Introduction of logistics controls at harbours in Olympic co-host cities across China and existing restrictions on chemical transport are increasingly affecting distribution of chemicals, said producers and traders said on Tuesday.

From 11 July to 30 September, vehicles carrying hazardous goods or explosive, virulent or radioactive wastes would not be allowed to enter or pass through Beijing and Qingdao, China’s Ministry of Public Security had said in a statement.

The restrictions would also be imposed in Tianjin, Shanghai, Qinhuangdao and Shenyang from 11 July to 31 August.

"The police are inspecting chemical transport closely. You can’t pass the check points if you cannot produce a chemical transport pass and a chemical purchase certificate," a melamine producer in Tianjin said in Mandarin.

From 25 July to 22 August co-host city Shanghai would stop approving applications to buy and transport virulent chemicals. From 1-23 July and from 23 August to 10 October, it would allow the transport of such chemicals at night, sources said.

"I believe the chemical transport will be restricted heavily in the near future. So chemical production will not remain normal in the following two months due to logistics issues," a trader said.

"Currently, we sell liquid chlorine only to the local market on transport considerations," some producers in Hebei province said.

A caustic soda producer in Qingdao city said they had received an official announcement that ships would be prohibited to anchor at the local port between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm during the sailing event from 8 to 23 August. They would have to finish loading chemicals in other time slots, he added.

Lanshan harbor in Shandong province has also banned the movement of methanol cargoes from 15 July and no dates had been fixed for resumption of normal services, a local trader said.

Shanghai port recently issued a formal notification announcing restrictions on the movement of hazardous chemicals from 20 July to 31 August.

Tianjin and Qinhuangdao ports were functioning normally at present, but the government could issue an announcement restricting chemicals shipments soon, traders said.

Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang and Tianjin are co-host cities for the Beijing Olympics Games, which will start on 8 August.

Dolly Wu contributed to this article
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