Container terminals in Hong Kong and Guangdong province and Hainan Island in China have suspended operations as Typhoon Talim made landfall on the morning of 17 July.
The typhoon, the first to hit China this year, was upgraded from a tropical storm, with Hong Kong weather authorities assessing it to be at T8, the severest of typhoon ratings.
Hong Kong International Terminals (HIT) began slowing its operations from noon on 16 July and had completely stopped handling containers from 10 pm (local time) that day.
China Meteorological Administration issued an orange alert, saying the typhoon was expected to become more serious as it moves from Hong Kong to the southern coast from Guangdong province to Hainan.
In Hainan's capital, Haikou, port operations, along with flights and high-speed rail, were suspended from 6 am on 16 July, as the island's weather observatory became concerned that Talim could be the most serious typhoon to hit Haikou since Typhoon Kalmaegi in 2014. Normal operations are set to resume on 18 July.
COSCO Shipping Lines' intra-Asia unit Shanghai Pan-Asia Shipping and Chinese domestic liner operator Zhonggu Logistics issued customer advisories to expect delays.
Shanghai Pan-Asia said, "Typhoon Talim will have some impact on routes through Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region."
Zhonggu cautioned customers to take precautions as the affected cargoes are fragile and prone to moisture.
Zhonggu's advisory noted, "All major terminals in South China will stop all box acceptances at the gates, and ports may be congested. Expect shipping schedules to be delayed."
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