Stuck in the Fog

We are still anchored at the mouth of the Yangtze River waiting to see if we can get into Shanghai. Signs are not looking good – the fog is just not letting up. We are the only passenger ship trying to get into Shanghai. Here is an article about our situation:


Coal ships stranded as fog causes power crisis
By Dong Zhen and Lu Feiran
2008-1-11
The fog engulfing the city this week has had major flow-on effects, including a dire shortage of thermal coal, disruption to water, air and land traffic and a deterioration in air quality.

The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration yesterday opened emergency water channels to allow coal-supply vessels to make deliveries. Administration officials said continuous fog had caused water visibility to drop below 100 meters on the Huangpu River and waterways at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Shipping traffic was suspended, keeping regular coal-supply vessels out of city waterways.

By yesterday, the city’s coal supply for electricity generation had reached crisis point, prompting the authority to open green channels for large delivery vessels.

The administration is giving priority whenever possible to the coal ships that must use the deep-water channel to reach the city’s major power plants. Coal vessels with minor defects will also be allowed to operate as a temporary measure to help relieve the shortage.

Daqing 63, a vessel carrying 20,000 tons of coal pulled into Luojin dock under heavy fog yesterday. The coal arrived just in time to support continued operation of the Luojin Power Plant.

General shipping traffic at the mouth of the Yangtze was only open for about an hour after 9pm on Wednesday before all vessels were required to stop and anchor or return to ports.

As of late yesterday afternoon, shipping traffic was still suspended, with some vessels already stuck for days.

Authorities said yesterday more than 500 incoming ships were waiting at sea to visit Shanghai.

The fog caused delays or cancellations of nearly 200 incoming and departing flights at the two city airports from midnight on Wednesday until last night. As of 6pm yesterday, Hongqiao Airport resumed normal operations but Pudong International Airport had limited traffic.