17 August 2015, News Wires – Many operations have reportedly resumed at China’s Tianjin port after explosions last week that killed more than 100 people and disrupted business at the key oil, gas and bulk import harbour.
The explosions on 12 August led to the disruption of all chemical and oil tanker discharges at the port.
Shipping data from Reuters on Monday showed that tankers were discharging again, with traders and shippers confirming that operations had restarted over the weekend.
Port officials were not immediately available for comment, the news wire said.
The Tianjin Maritime Safety Administration’s traffic control department said in a statement: “At present, ships apart from those carrying hazardous goods or bunker oil are entering and exiting Tianjin Port’s north section normally. All other berths are operating normally according to sailing plans.”
Reuters spoke to several captains of tankers and dry bulk freighters that are currently in the Tianjin port region, either waiting to discharge or to leave the port, and all said that operations now seemed to be broadly back to normal.
Tianjin is one of eastern China’s most important oil and gas terminals, with large commercial and strategic oil storage facilities as well as a floating storage and regasification unit for liquefied natural gas imports.
Traders said the strategic petroleum reserve facility at Tianjin had not been affected by the explosion.
There was no immediate word from China’s Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC) on the status of its headquarters, located about a kilometre away from the blast site. COOEC had previously said that its offices were “seriously damaged” and would be shuttered indefinitely.
The pair of explosions erupted last week at a warehouse storing chemicals in the Binhai New Area. The cause has not been determined.
A total of 114 people have been confirmed dead, with another 70 missing, according to China’s official Xinhua news wire. More than 700 were injured.
– Upstream