China's determination to pursue the "zero Covid" strategy is posing an obstacle to the recovery of the shipping industry.
In an effort to stamp out the infection, China maintains a ban on crew substitutions for foreign crews when ships docked in China. Recently, China also introduced a mandatory 7-week quarantine for Chinese sailors returning home. Even the Chinese crews who had been replaced elsewhere had to wait two weeks before being allowed to disembark.
To comply with these regulations, shipowners and ship managers have had to divert vessels, delay deliveries and change crews, further intensifying the global supply chain crisis. "China's restrictions are having a pervasive effect," said Guy Platten, secretary-general of the International Shipping Council (ICS), an organization representing ship owners and ship operators worldwide demand, said in an interview with Bloomberg. “Any restriction on vessel operations affects the supply chain and leads to real disruption.”
To date, the shipping industry has generally absorbed the increased costs, thanks to container freight rates that are among the highest in history due to strong demand, limited capacity, and congestion at ports. port. For the weekend ending Nov. 18, the freight rate for a 40-foot container was $9,146, a six-fold increase from the five-year average through 2019. Tanker and dry bulk carrier freight rates also increased similarly.
The shipping lines also acknowledge that they respond to China's restrictions by shifting the burden on the crews working on the ships. Chinese authorities do not allow more than three Chinese sailors to board the same flight to the mainland, so the journey home for Chinese sailors can last for months after they have completed their duties. service and got off the ship,” said Mr. Hojgaard.
Chinese officials recently continued to defend the country's anti-Covid strategy and signaled that it would not ease regulations anytime soon. Meanwhile, the supply chain disruption in the shipping industry shows no sign of abating. According to a survey conducted by Oxford Economics of 148 businesses between October 18-29, nearly 80% said they expect the supply chain crisis to worsen.
"China is determined to eliminate Covid and will not ease restrictions anytime soon," said Mr. Zhang of Singhai Marine
"China may even tighten the rules before hosting the Winter Olympics in February next year."
Air cargo is heating up again in a very concrete way: speed is no longer just a company advantage—it is increasingly a national advantage. IATA recorded strong global air cargo growth and a record year in 2024, and in 2025 several months continued to set new highs in demand measured by CTK, suggesting this is not a short-lived surge.
Air logistics is entering a new cycle. International demand is rising fast, shippers are prioritizing speed and reliability, and exporters face tighter scrutiny on documentation and origin. In this context, the real question is no longer whether Vietnam should expand air logistics, but how to build capacity in the right architecture—one that scales volumes while strengthening Vietnam’s role in regional supply chains.
In recent years, “logistics digital transformation” has become a familiar buzzword across industry forums. Yet inside many day-to-day operations, the reality remains mixed: different software for different functions, heavy reliance on Excel and phone calls, and data trapped within departmental silos.
In late February 2026, the Board of Directors of Glotrans Vietnam attended a New Year Dinner & Dance hosted by an international partner, marking a meaningful milestone in the increasingly strong and expansive collaboration between Glotrans and its global partner network.
In the joyful atmosphere of the first days of the New Year, Glotrans Vietnam proudly hosted its 2026 New Year Party to welcome the Spring of Binh Ngo, with the presence of the Board of General Directors, the Board of Directors, and all employees across the system, including offices in Hai Phong, Hanoi, Da Nang, Quy Nhon, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Dear Valued Customers and Partners, Glotrans would like to respectfully announce the Lunar New Year holiday schedule for 2026 as follows:
The shipment of food additives was transported in container No. FCIU3301688 (20’), under B/L MPRSMUM1806, on the voyage from Nhavasheva Port (India) to Dinh Vu Port (Hai Phong, Vietnam) on 29/04/2017.
Company T (Plaintiff – the Insured) entered into an insurance contract with Company B (Defendant – the Insurer). After the insured event occurred, the Insurer alleged that the Insured had violated its obligation to prevent and mitigate losses. The Arbitral Tribunal acknowledged that such an obligation exists but concluded that the Insured did not breach it.
Under the insurance contract, the premium was to be paid in three installments, and in all three, the insured party was late in payment. When a dispute arose, the insurer (Defendant) argued that the insurance contract had terminated before the insured event occurred due to the late premium payment and therefore refused to make an insurance payout. However, the Arbitral Tribunal held a contrary view.
