Chinese Port Blast Raises Serious Safety Concerns for Container Shipping

A major explosion on board a containership berthed at the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan in China raises serious safety concerns, a shipping analyst said.

The incident took place Friday, with video footage showing a massive explosion on board Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp's vessel YM Mobility. There are no reports of casualties.

The blast follows other major incidents in 2024, including the collapse of Baltimore Bridge in March after it was struck by a containership and an electrical fire onboard the Maersk Frankfurt during its maiden voyage through the Arabian Sea last month which claimed the life of one crewmember.

Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst, said, “This type of incident should never happen and is another example of how one failure in ocean container shipping can have catastrophic consequences.

“Had this explosion happened at sea rather than at berth in port then the crew and ship would have been in even more perilous danger.

“An investigation will take place and the industry must learn from it. Container ships are used to transport hazardous and potentially explosive cargo, so it is of paramount importance that robust safety measures are in place.”

Ningbo-Zhoushan is the second most important container shipping port in China behind Shanghai, handling more than 100 000 TEU (20ft equivalent shipping container) each day.

Xeneta data shows average spot rates on the major fronthaul trade from Ningbo to the US West Coast increased by 146% between April 30 and July 1 amid the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea region on container shipping.

Average spot rates on the trade to the U.S. West Coast have since softened, falling by 18% to stand at $6,510 per FEU (40ft shipping container) on August 9.

Sand does not believe the explosion on the YM Mobility will have a significant impact on the market: “Ningbo-Zhoushan is a hugely important and well-connected port in the Far East, second only to Shanghai in China and on par with Singapore. It is a critical hub for container shipping and this incident is deeply concerning from a safety perspective, but it is unlikely it will have a significant impact on the market.”