Zhoushan suspends bunker deliveries as Typhoon Dolphin nears East China

Bunkering operations at both Zhoushan's outer and inner anchorages have been suspended today as Typhoon Dolphin has brought adverse weather conditions to the region, according to a source.

IMAGE: Projected path of Super Typhoon Dolphin. Central Weather Administration

As of Thursday morning, Typhoon Dolphin was located about 1,360 kilometres east of Wenzhou in China's Zhejiang Province over the northwestern Pacific Ocean, according to China's National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The storm is expected to continue moving westward while maintaining, or slightly increasing, its strength. It is forecast to enter the East China Sea on Friday before gradually approaching China's eastern coastline. The NMC has renewed its blue typhoon alert as the storm nears the country's eastern coastal regions.

Suppliers remain uncertain about when bunkering operations in Zhoushan will be able to resume fully, the source added.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a sea warning for Typhoon Dolphin could be issued as early as Friday afternoon as the system moves closer to the island.

Bunkering operations at major Taiwanese ports, including Kaohsiung, Taichung, Hualien and Keelung, are continuing normally for now. However, a Taiwan-based trader warned that deteriorating weather conditions could begin disrupting bunker deliveries from Friday or Saturday.

By Tuhin Roy

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