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PT_BR 
Since the beginning of 2020, global logistics has suffered from the impacts of the pandemic, which caused a shortage of containers, delays in ship calls, congestion at ports and an increase in the price of Chinese sea freight.
O Solar Channel, in fact, brought several reports showing the constant increase in the price of Sea freight. Recently, Chinese authorities ordered companies to stop production in some locations, such as Wuxi and Shanghai.
According to the Chinese government, the measures adopted are strict and aim to control contagion. However, they cause significant interruptions in local manufacturing and transport activities, which ends up putting pressure on the country's internal land logistics system and affects the international chain.
These restrictions are impacting approximately 200 million people and more than 20 Chinese cities would be under total or partial lockdown.
Manufacturer Sunova, for example, stated that the pandemic situation in China is still serious, highlighting the Chinese government's decision to determine lockdown in some regions of the country.
“Since the end of March, Covid-19 has been getting more serious by the day in China, especially in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Our BOM suppliers (Bill of Materials – Product Structure) need to stop production, materials cannot be transported due to government inspection. Our factory was also closed from March 31 to April 6,” he said in a statement.
Still according to the company, all manufacturers, including Sunova, have no choice but to stop production. Furthermore, the company highlighted the difficulties in international logistics.
“Almost all entry and exit points in our city are closed and containers cannot be transported to the port. Containers cannot arrive at Shanghai Port, Taicang Port, Ningbo Port, almost all ports as usual. It took a lot of effort to send some of the containers to the ports,” the manufacturer added in a statement.
The company also clarified to the Solar Channel that with the latest events, the supply chain is very tight and it is difficult to deliver goods and for this reason, it will open its own warehouse here in Brazil to guarantee supply.
“As part of our strategy and service structure, Sunova should also have a customs warehouse in 2022 in the city of Itajaí (SC) where the company's office in Brazil is already located”, says Wellington Araujo, general director of Sunova in Brazil.
“This investment seeks to meet, with a safety stock, demands where our partners seek products that are already nationalized. “just in time” to meet more immediate demands. This alternative also becomes quite viable in situations of logistical bottlenecks in China, as we are currently experiencing. We will also dedicate part of this safety stock for possible exchanges under manufacturing warranty, offering a faster and more advantageous alternative for our customers in Brazil”, he concludes.
