India’s port authorities will screen vessels from COVID-19 affected countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Nepal and Italy as a precautionary measure. The screened vessels will either be declared as a healthy or suspect.
Healthy vessels will be cleared for port operations, while the suspect vessels will be brought to the nearest anchorage and symptomatic crew will be advised further quarantine and medications on board by port-based health officials. India’s Port Health Organisation is responsible for inspection of ships, cargo, containers including sanitation and issuance of ship sanitation control exemption certificate and maintain conditions that they are free of sources of infection or contamination.
Besides, as part of a general standard operating procedure (SOP), any ship, passenger or crew which has visited any COVID-19 affected country since February 1 is barred from entering any Indian port till March 31, according to an advisory issued by the Indian government.
Impact on ferrous scrap
Stainless steel mills in north India are operating under tight scrap inventories. Davis sources have revealed that smaller mills are facing a severe shortage of imported SS scrap and prices of domestic SS scrap are expected to surge given their limited availability in India. Indian scrap importers are struggling with half-loaded containers stuck at yards due to logistics lock down at some place of origin and ready to be loaded or fully loaded containers held up at port of origin due to the COVID-19 outbreak.