COVID-19 controls cut container handling at Yantian in Shenzhen
COVID-19 controls cut container handling at Yantian in Shenzhen. The disruption ran from 2021-05-25 (25 May 2021) to 2021-06-24 (24 June 2021), 31 days, affecting Yantian. Yantian averaged 1.8 calls per day during the event window against an expected 9.4 (-81.0%). Yantian averaged 1.6 calls per day during the event window against an expected 8.9 (-81.9%).
Key facts
- Started
- 2021-05-25 (25 May 2021)
- Ended
- 2021-06-24 (24 June 2021)
- Status
- ended
- Type
- Terminal closure
- Severity
- 3 Significant
- Scope
- port
- Chokepoints
- None
- Ports
- Yantian
- Lanes
- None
- Countries
- China
- Confidence
- high: The restriction dates come from the terminal operator's own notice and from a carrier advisory updated through the episode, with consistent trade press reporting. The window does not overlap Lunar New Year or China's National Day holiday exclusions.
- First reported
- 2021-05-26 (26 May 2021)
- Severity basis: Berths in use at the port fell from 20 to five and the western terminal area was closed from 2021-05-26 to 2021-06-24, a port level restriction lasting more than seven days.
What happened
Container handling at Yantian in Shenzhen was cut from 2021-05-25 (25 May 2021), after COVID-19 cases were found in the port area, and full operations resumed on 2021-06-24 (24 June 2021). The terminal operator stopped taking laden export containers through the gate late on 2021-05-25, and from 2021-05-26 export and transhipment boxes in the western area were held and operations there stopped. Berths in use fell from 20 to five. Carriers reported the eastern berths running at about 30 percent of normal output in early June, recovering through the month, while about 90 ships skipped Yantian and Shekou. The operator said all berths, including the western area, returned to normal from 00:00 on 2021-06-24, with laden gate in raised to 9,000 trucks a day.
Measured effect
Container ship port calls, Yantian
- Baseline (expected)
- 8.9 calls per day
- Observed
- 1.6 calls per day
- Change
- -7.3 (-81.9%)
- Standardised score
- -2.4
- Event window
- 2021-05-25 to 2021-06-24 (31 days)
- Baseline window
- 2021-03-23 to 2021-05-17 (56 valid days)
- Method
- wfm-effect-1.0
- Computed
- 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026), data revision 1:a20e0e915852
Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms.
This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.
Port calls, Yantian
- Baseline (expected)
- 9.4 calls per day
- Observed
- 1.8 calls per day
- Change
- -7.6 (-81.0%)
- Standardised score
- -2.5
- Event window
- 2021-05-25 to 2021-06-24 (31 days)
- Baseline window
- 2021-03-23 to 2021-05-17 (56 valid days)
- Method
- wfm-effect-1.0
- Computed
- 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026), data revision 1:0cf61d24bf5f
Source: IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org), International Monetary Fund, using UN Global Platform AIS data. Statistics derived by World Freight Monitor. Terms.
This is a measured change in public data during the event window, compared with a baseline before it. It shows timing, not cause. We describe an event as causing a change only when an official source says so.
Timeline
- COVID-19 is reported at the port, the start of the outbreak that led to the restrictions, according to trade press. [s4] [s5]
- The terminal suspends acceptance of laden export containers at the gate from late on 2021-05-25 through 2021-05-27, according to the carrier advisory. [s2]
- Export and transhipment containers in the western area of the terminal are held and operations there stop until further notice. Yard density in the terminal is reported at 96 percent. [s2]
- Trade press reports the eastern part of the terminal working at about 30 percent of normal output with the western area still shut, tens of thousands of TEU backed up and ships waiting off the port. [s3]
- The carrier reports yard density down to 60 percent and about 90 ships, including partner services, having skipped Yantian and Shekou. [s2]
- The operator says all berths, including the western area, resumed normal operations from 00:00, with laden gate in raised to 9,000 trucks a day and export boxes accepted seven days before vessel arrival. [s1] [s4]
Cause
The operator attributed the reduced operations to COVID-19 control measures in the port area after cases were found there, and said on 2021-06-23 that the virus was under control and terminal capacity had recovered. Attributed by: Yantian International Container Terminals. [s1]
Resolution
Corrections
No corrections to this record as of 2026-09-16 (16 September 2026).
Sources
- [s1] Yantian International Container Terminals, YANTIAN Resumes Full Operations, published 2021-06-23 (23 June 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)
- [s2] Maersk, Greater China Yantian/Shekou/Nansha Port Operations Update, published 2021-05-27 (27 May 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (official)
- [s3] The Maritime Executive, Congestion Grows in China's Yantian Port due to COVID-19 Outbreak, published 2021-06-03 (3 June 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)
- [s4] The Maritime Executive, China's Yantian Container Terminal Resuming Normal Operations, published 2021-06-23 (23 June 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)
- [s5] PortCalls Asia, Yantian container port resumes full operations, published 2021-06-28 (28 June 2021), accessed 2026-09-15. Archived copy. (press)