Super Typhoon Mangkhut has wreaked havoc in the Philippines, and southern China over the weekend, affecting the movement of shipping vessels, and shutting down ports and other marine facilities. Contingency measures are under way to minimise the impact on energy infrastructure. No major damages are heard of so far. Operations at some ports are likely to remain suspended in parts of the Philippines, Hong Kong and Guangdong China.
Weather disturbances in the US have also affected ports, energy infrastructure and supplies in the region. The LNG market is monitoring terminal operations affected by Hurricane Florence in the US. Export activity was severely reduced at Dominion Energy's Cove Point terminal in Maryland last week.
US President Donald Trump signed a law bill that will reduce or suspend tariffs on approximately 1,660 products imported into the US, more than half of which are chemicals and plastics. However, the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill of 2018, which was signed on Thursday, does not apply to new Section 301 tariffs on Chinese products implemented in July and August and potentially another chemical-heavy round that could be implemented as soon as late September.
