China Holds Back Some Ships from Calling at Wuhan

China Holds Back Some Ships from Calling at Wuhan
Costas Paris Jan. 23, 2020

The virus-stricken city on the Yangtze and Hanshui rivers is a major trade hub in central China

China has started holding back some ships from calling at the city of Wuhan, a major trade hub on the Yangtze River, as the country seeks to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus

“There isn’t a central order to stop ships, but more than a dozen that were supposed to call [at Wuhan] over the past two days are held down river,” said Zhang Yong, a tug captain at the city’s port. “There are health warnings to wash hands, don’t touch your mouth and go to a doctor if you feel sick. I wear a mask, people are getting scared and I hope it’s sorted out soon because it will hurt business a lot,” he said.

Barge operators in Wuhan confirmed that fewer ships have been coming into the port and leaving it, causing delays to cargo.

The disruption at the commercial trade center come as authorities expand a expand a lockdown in central China. Beijing halted outbound trains and flights from Wuhan, where the virus originated, on Thursday and announced similar actions in the nearby cities of Huanggang and Ezhou.

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