(Bloomberg)
China plans to allow some stranded Australian coal shipments to unload despite ongoing curbs on imports, a move aimed at showing goodwill to countries with seafarers stuck on the vessels, a person familiar with the situation said.
The measure doesn’t mean China is loosening its ban on Australian coal imports and it’s uncertain if the deliveries will be cleared by customs, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.
Some ships may be allowed to change crews when they unload, an action that’ll help seafarers from nations including India who’ve been stranded at sea for months, said the person. China’s customs administration didn’t immediately respond to a fax seeking comment and Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing on Monday that he wasn’t aware of the situation.