Chinese ports hit capacity as coronavirus tests slow clearing: Shippers

Testing of imported food for the novel coronavirus is pushing capacity at some major Chinese ports to their limit, major shippers told customers this week, warning of additional fees and possible diversions to other ports.

China stepped up inspections of imported food last month after an outbreak of the coronavirus among people working at and visiting a major food market in Beijing. 

"Import container pick-up activities have been severely impacted and as a result reefer plugs are highly utilized especially at the port of Yantian and Ningbo," said German shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd in a customer notice on Friday.

Reefers, or chilled containers used