A container is loaded onto a truck at Jingtang port area of Tangshan Port, North China's Hebei Province, in January 2018. Photo: Xinhua

China has clear rules for epidemic prevention and crew quarantine at ports, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday, in response to concerns over an Indian ship stuck at a Chinese port.

China has been offering convenience to relevant crew members within the allowed range, Wang told reporters, advising that reporters ask Chinese regulatory authorities or relevant local governments about the specifics of the situation.

It was the second day in a row that the spokesperson was asked to comment on media reports about the Indian commercial ship carrying Australian coal that has been stranded off a port near Tangshan, North China's Hebei Province since June.

The bulk carrier with 23 Indian crew on board is owned by Great Eastern Shipping, India's largest shipping line, which has made several attempts to get the crew relieved, but none of its efforts have yielded results so far, the Hindu reported last week, citing a company spokesperson. 

There is speculation that the situation of the stranded ship, which has reportedly been waiting for months for permission to offload its cargo, might be linked to souring relations between China and Australia.

Wang said on Monday that there was no information on such reports.

Global Times