Inside Story

Could a shipping crisis derail economic recovery from COVID-19?

COVID-19 infections in China cause delivery delays and shortages around the world.

A coronavirus outbreak in southern China’s manufacturing and export hub is having a ripple effect on global trade.

The government of Guangdong province has imposed lockdowns to contain a rise in COVID-19 cases.

That has slowed activity in the region’s container ports, causing delivery delays and product shortages in Europe, the United States and beyond.

Businesses are warning of disruptions until the end of the year.

So as countries start to reopen businesses and trade, could this crisis derail economic recovery from the pandemic?

Presenter: Dareen Abughaida

Guests:

Guy Platten – Secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping

Stavros Karamperidis – Lecturer in maritime economics at the University of Plymouth

Christian Bueger – Professor of international relations at the University of Copenhagen