On February 18, 32,000 medical masks finally arrived at the Beijing headquarters of China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) after a long hard journey from Sumatra, Indonesia to China. The masks were donated by Mercuria Energy Group (Switzerland) as a support for ChemChina to fight against the COVID-19.
With the novel coronavirus epidemic continuing to spread since late January, mask supply saw a critical shortage in China and across Asia, and ChemChina companies were in desperate needs for masks. According to the overall plan made by the emergency response office of ChemChina, ChemChina Petrochemical Co., Ltd. and its overseas businesses were missioned to look for masks through both domestic and overseas partners. Mercuria Energy Group, as one of long-term partners of ChemChina, reached out to ChemChina, pledging to search for masks as best as could from overseas sources, as a mean to support ChemChina’s production and operation. Through contacts with its partners and suppliers worldwide, Mercuria Energy Group finally located a source of medical masks at Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia. Money was paid the first thing to lock up the inventory since the epidemic situation was acute and Palembang is a remote place to which normal logistics was impossible at the moment. Thanks to the logistics effort arranged by a special coordinator at Indonesia, the masks finally made its way to Beijing after a zigzagged journey through Palembang, Jakarta, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
ChemChina owes thanks to Mercuria Energy Group, the leading independent energy trading company in the world and the reliable long-term partner of ChemChina Petrochemical Co., Ltd., for its generous help during the hard time. ChemChina believes, with the supports and help from so many partners and the united efforts of all employees of ChemChina, it will score a full victory against the epidemic. The masks, together with other disease control materials donated by Mercuria Energy Group, will soon be distributed through overall arrangement to all ChemChina companies to support their work for epidemical prevention and control along with their operation and operation.