As you will no doubt be aware, the coronavirus has now been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO). A host of provincial governments in China have announced an extension to the Lunar New Year Holiday, which at this stage is Feb 9th, with most returning to work on Feb 10th. Please note this date could change at a moment’s notice, depending on the outcome of the next few days. As the virus spreads, it is impacting the freight industry on a global scale, with both airlines and shipping lines announcing measures to attempt to lock down the virus. For sea freight consignments, the Australian Government has announced that any vessel that sailed from China on or after Feb 1st, must be on the water for a minimum of 14 days before being allowed to berth at any Australian port. You can find up to date information from Maritime Industry Australia in the following link https://mial.com.au/our-work/novel-corona-virus-update For Air freight to / from China, 11 major airlines, including Qantas, have announced they will either cease or reduce their flights to mainland China over February and March Dates may vary between carriers so please contact us if you require more advice around a particular route or carrier. ICAL will continue to monitor the situation and provide relevant updates once known. If you require further information or would like any assistance with reaching your Chinese suppliers, please do not hesitate to contact your ICAL representative.