The Ningbo Beilun Phase III Terminal, located in one of the busiest ports in the world, resumed operations on 12 August, following a temporary closure over the weekend as authorities responded to the explosion aboard the Liberian-flagged container ship, YM Mobility. The terminal had been temporarily closed as authorities responded to the incident and worked on dousing the fire aboard the vessel.

According to South Korean shipping major HMM, the shutdown has been lifted and the plan is to move the vessel to another terminal. Nevertheless, the exact timing of the vessel relocation is not yet finalised.

“No significant delay is expected due to the backlog from the closure of the terminal over the weekend. The incident had limited impact to capacity and container operations at the port,” Geodis said in a customer advisory.

The transport and logistics company added that investigations are ongoing, and all containers on board the YM Mobility will remain on hold until further notice.

“After the total closure for investigations, the terminal has now gradually resumed its operation on the non-effected berths,” Hapag-Lloyd said in a statement to WorldCargo News.

“Some of our ships have been reassigned to different terminals to mitigate the delays. The situation is such, that some ships have major delays and some have no delays.”

YM Mobility, a 2011-built Post Panamax vessel with a capacity of 6,589 TEU, was undergoing berthing process at the terminal in the Port of Ningbo when a powerful explosion occurred near its bow. The vessel is operating on the AG2 service between the Far East and the Middle East Gulf region, a string managed by THE Alliance members including Yang Ming (YML), COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd, HMM, and ONE. Preliminary reports indicate that the explosion originated from a container loaded with dangerous goods, including lithium batteries and parabens, which had been declared as a reefer but was being used as a dry container.

“This incident may result in operational delays or disruptions within the AG2 service, which could affect your shipments. We are closely monitoring the situation and now in continuous coordination with the relevant stakeholders, Ningbo Terminal and Vessel Operator – Yang Ming, to minimise any potential impact on our operations,” HMM said.

“We are working with the terminal to assess the situation and take necessary steps to minimise the impact on our operations,” Hapag-Lloyd said in an operation update last week. “We know that the vessel was carrying Hapag-Lloyd containers and therefore, we will be contacting our customers separately with detailed information about the process.”

In response to the explosion, immediate firefighting measures were initiated, and cooling efforts with water sprays continued throughout the weekend. Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, the vessel’s operator, reported that there are no visible flames on board, and all crew members and on-site personnel have been confirmed safe. Initial estimates indicate that it could take up to three months to repair the ship.

While the exact cause of the explosion is still under investigation, this incident highlights ongoing concerns in the maritime industry regarding the safe transport of hazardous materials.

The Ningbo Beilun Phase III Terminal, located in one of the busiest ports in the world, resumed operations on 12 August, following a temporary closure over the weekend as authorities responded to the explosion aboard the Liberian-flagged container ship, YM Mobility. The terminal had been temporarily closed as authorities responded to the incident and worked on dousing the fire aboard the vessel.

According to South Korean shipping major HMM, the shutdown has been lifted and the plan is to move the vessel to another terminal. Nevertheless, the exact timing of the vessel relocation is not yet finalised.

“No significant delay is expected due to the backlog from the closure of the terminal over the weekend. The incident had limited impact to capacity and container operations at the port,” Geodis said in a customer advisory.

The transport and logistics company added that investigations are ongoing, and all containers on board the YM Mobility will remain on hold until further notice.

“After the total closure for investigations, the terminal has now gradually resumed its operation on the non-effected berths,” Hapag-Lloyd said in a statement to WorldCargo News.

“Some of our ships have been reassigned to different terminals to mitigate the delays. The situation is such, that some ships have major delays and some have no delays.”

YM Mobility, a 2011-built Post Panamax vessel with a capacity of 6,589 TEU, was undergoing berthing process at the terminal in the Port of Ningbo when a powerful explosion occurred near its bow. The vessel is operating on the AG2 service between the Far East and the Middle East Gulf region, a string managed by THE Alliance members including Yang Ming (YML), COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd, HMM, and ONE. Preliminary reports indicate that the explosion originated from a container loaded with dangerous goods, including lithium batteries and parabens, which had been declared as a reefer but was being used as a dry container.

“This incident may result in operational delays or disruptions within the AG2 service, which could affect your shipments. We are closely monitoring the situation and now in continuous coordination with the relevant stakeholders, Ningbo Terminal and Vessel Operator – Yang Ming, to minimise any potential impact on our operations,” HMM said.

“We are working with the terminal to assess the situation and take necessary steps to minimise the impact on our operations,” Hapag-Lloyd said in an operation update last week. “We know that the vessel was carrying Hapag-Lloyd containers and therefore, we will be contacting our customers separately with detailed information about the process.”

In response to the explosion, immediate firefighting measures were initiated, and cooling efforts with water sprays continued throughout the weekend. Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, the vessel’s operator, reported that there are no visible flames on board, and all crew members and on-site personnel have been confirmed safe. Initial estimates indicate that it could take up to three months to repair the ship.

While the exact cause of the explosion is still under investigation, this incident highlights ongoing concerns in the maritime industry regarding the safe transport of hazardous materials.