Platts: Restrictions Leave Over 100 Coal-Laden Ships Idle off China

Over 100 ships loaded with coal were stationary off the southern and eastern coasts of China as at October 31, up sharply from around 36 in mid-September, Platts’ C-flow vessel tracking software showed.

The stationary coal ships include ten that are lying idle in the Zhoushan anchorage, three in the Shanghai regional shipping queue, and two waiting in the Lianyungang offshore queue.

The surge in idle vessel numbers comes on the back of the introduction of restrictions on coal imports at a number of China’s major ports, including Guangzhou, Xiamen and Zhoushan, in late August, Platts cited market sources. Several ports in China also reported extensive delays and longer queues for ships arriving to discharge seaborne-traded thermal coal.

However, Platts said that port authorities rejected claims that restrictions have been imposed on the discharge of imported coal.

Data from the C-flow vessel tracking software indicated that four bulk carriers, including the 177,800 dwt Boston, the 176,000 dwt Bulk Success, the 181,000 dwt Navios Joy, and the 171,000 Sunbeam, were waiting for clearance at the Zhoushan anchorage point.

Additionally, the bulk carrier Agios Nikolas has been stationary in the Shanghai regional queue since October 22, while a number of ships carrying coal cargoes were parked at different locations off the coast of South China.