China Issues Highest Typhoon Warning As Storm Approaches World’s Largest Container Ports

China issued the highest tropical cyclone warning on Wednesday as Typhoon Muifa barreled toward Shanghai as Asia’s largest ports are at a standstill. 

Chinese state media said Muifa is expected to make landfall between the cities of Wenling and Zhoushan on Wednesday, dumping torrential rains, unleashing high winds, and battering coastlines with massive waves. The areas of impact include critical commercial zones to global supply chains. 

Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan Ports are in the direct path of the storm. The twin port cities are some of the largest in Asia and the world in cargo handling and are at a standstill as waves up to 5 meters (16 feet) are expected Wednesday. 

Ports in eastern China face disruptions ahead of typhoon Muifa

Shipping activity in eastern China is set for further disruptions as a powerful typhoon approaches the region, including the key port cities of Ningbo and Zhoushan.
#typhoonMuifa #ports pic.twitter.com/9WZwWtJQXo

— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) September 14, 2022

⚡The last container vessel left the #Yangshan port at 02:55 local time, all operations have been suspended before the landing of Typhoon #Muifa on Sept.14.#Shanghai raised the typhoon emergency response level to II from III this morning. https://t.co/Bc8jki6c51 pic.twitter.com/6Ni0PkAamn

— CN Wire (@Sino_Market) September 14, 2022

US Joint Typhoon Warning Center said wind gusts over 100 mph are expected for the next 12 hours as it approaches Shanghai. 

China issued the highest-level typhoon warning on Wednesday for the first time this year, according to state media. 

Typhoon Muifa (formerly Inday) will make its landfall tonight over eastern China – in the country’s joint second busiest port Ningbo and Zhoushan and in the main financial hub Shanghai.

More than 40M people live in these three cities. pic.twitter.com/4YRh2IYQ3B | via @arielrojasPH

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) September 14, 2022

Besides shipping disruptions, all flights in the region have been canceled for Wednesday, flight data platform Variflight told Reuters. 

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Steven Lam said the storm could inflict almost a billion dollars in damage to coastal areas in eastern China.