Despite the recent developments brought by global Coronavirus outbreak, Philippines announced that its ports remain open to all ships, either coming from China or not, to avoid disruptions in the cargo supply chain. However, the crew of ships arriving from China will not be allowed to disembarking.
Coronavirus emerged late last year in China’s Wuhan city and has evolved in a fast-spreading outbreak that has killed nearly 500 people in the country.
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Amid this condition, all foreigners traveling from China and its two special administrative regions – Hong Kong and Macau – are currently barred from entering the Philippines.
A Chinese man who arrived from Wuhan has also died in the Philippines, Reuters reports.
Concerns about possible delays in shipments of Philippine nickel ore to China as a result of the port restrictions added to the upward pressure on nickel prices.
As far as the ships are concerned, as far as the cargoes are concerned, we are business as usual,
…said Jay Daniel Santiago, general manager at Philippine Ports Authority, allaying worries about delays in port operations.
Ports particularly in the Philippine capital Manila are “fully mechanised” to facilitate cargo loading and unloading with minimal human intervention, he added.
