Reuters: One gigawatt of shipments from China detained on suspicion of forced labor at U.S. ports

According to a report by Reuters news agency, citing the U.S. Federal Customs Service and unnamed sources in the U.S. solar industry, 1,053 shipments of photovoltaic components were detained at U.S. ports from the end of June to the end of October and have not yet been released. According to the report, mainly solar modules and crystalline solar cells are affected, which are suspected of violating the »Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act« in effect since June 21. The law aims to prevent the import of goods produced in whole or in part by forced labor in the »Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region« in northwestern China.
The shipments include a value of »hundreds of millions of dollars« and are equivalent to about one gigawatt of solar power, according to the industry insiders interviewed by Reuters. The bulk is said to come from three companies, Longi Green Energy Technology, Trina Solar and Jinko Solar, which together supply about one-third of U.S. demand for solar modules. The U.S. authorities, however, do not provide any information on the scope of the blocked deliveries or the names of affected companies, citing federal laws.
© PHOTON