Coronavirus Is Wreaking Havoc on Global Mail Delivery
- Courier services have been disrupted as China flights halted
- Traders say moving documents by courier is a challenge
A courier delivers goods in Jiang'an District of Wuhan on Feb. 9.
Photographer: Cheng Min/Xinhua via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
In a world dominated by email and smartphones, the shipping industry still relies heavily on paper documents delivered by courier. With people unable or unwilling to travel to China because of the coronavirus, that dependence is wreaking havoc on commodities traders.
Some critical documents, such as bills of lading and letters of indemnity, aren’t getting to mainland China and ship owners are unwilling to release cargoes to their buyers without them, according to three traders in the physical copper market, who asked not to be named discussing commercial issues.