Article

Pilot Shortage is Causing Vessel Traffic Backup in China


by Maritime Direct - published on 10 November 2021 -  229 -

Quarantine of Pilots Cause Vessel Traffic to Snarl in China

Original Article by Maritime Direct / Khela Trousdale. 02.11.2021

Traffic has began to become congested and slowed due to specialized river pilots being mandated to quarantine due to Covid-19 regulations when returning from duties along China’s Yangtze which happens to be the longest river in East Asia.

The Yangtze moves an approximated 3bn tonnes of cargo a year and at this time, due the pilot shortage, time spent on a vessel has increased astonishingly. A data report from Eastport states up 169% year-on-year for Jiangyin, 154% year-on-year for Nantong, 41% year-on-year for Ningbo and 190% year-on-year for Zhangjiagang in the month of October.

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RC
Ricardo Caballero Vega Panama Canal Pilots Association, Panama
on 11 November 2021, 14:45 UTC

I just wonder how long do pilots are on actual duty conning a ship.
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