Typhoon Dolphin prompts suspension of 162 ferry routes in Zhejiang; 193 marine projects halted, and 474 vessels moved to safety.
Dolphin Typhoon: 162 Ferry Routes Suspended in Zhejiang
Due to the approaching Dolphin Typhoon on China's eastern coast, all 162 passenger and ferry routes in Zhejiang have been suspended. Work has stopped on 193 marine construction projects, and 474 construction vessels have been moved to safe waters. Container terminals around Ningbo–Zhoushan and Shanghai are also gradually limiting gate operations.
The Zhejiang Maritime Administration raised the coastal typhoon response level to II at 08:00 on August 7, following the approach of the 13th typhoon of the year, Dolphin — referred to as 'White Dolphin' in Chinese sources. According to official data, all 162 passenger/ferry routes and the 316 passenger vessels operating on these routes have been completely halted.
As part of the same precautionary measures, work has been halted on 193 marine and offshore construction projects. All 474 construction vessels have been moved to safe waters. Maritime units have issued 86,000 early warning messages, conducted 24,000 vessel inspections and verifications, and have kept 15 high-powered tugboats on standby for emergency response.
Container Gates Gradually Closing
According to information compiled from terminal announcements by logistics companies, the entry and exit of empty containers at the Beilun, Daxie, Meishan, Yongzhou, and Zhenhai terminals in Ningbo–Zhoushan will be gradually halted starting from noon on August 7, while the movement of full containers will be suspended from the evening. Similar restrictions are planned for some terminals in the Yangshan area of Shanghai for the morning of August 8.
These measures do not mean that 'all ports in Shanghai and Ningbo are closed'; the situation varies by terminal, type of cargo, and operational hours. At 08:00 on August 7, the typhoon's center was approximately 820 kilometers east of Wenzhou, with maximum winds measured at 45 meters per second. The system is expected to move westward at a speed of 15–20 kilometers per hour and reach the Zhejiang–northern Fujian coastline between the afternoon of August 9 and the morning of August 10.
Maritime Impact: Even a brief halt around Ningbo–Zhoushan and Shanghai could lead to congestion at container gates, schedule slippage for vessels, demurrage, and delays in transfer connections. The magnitude of the impact will depend on the exact path of the typhoon as well as the speed at which terminals reopen after safety checks.
Note of Confirmation: The figures of 162 routes, 193 projects, and 474 vessels are based on official Chinese data. The container terminal hours are based on live announcements from logistics operators and may change rapidly. It should not be stated in the headline that the entire port system is closed.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
