Toyota may divert car shipments

Auto firm eyes Dalian, Shanghai as possible new locations

Toyota Motor Corp is looking at diverting shipments to Dalian and Shanghai ports from Tianjin, China's main car import terminal, where operations have been indefinitely disrupted after the massive explosions last week, according to a senior Beijing-based company executive.

Research firm IHS Automotive estimated it could take at least a couple of months for normal port operations in Tianjin to resume, and other automakers such as Volkswagen AG and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG have also said they have made moves to switch to Shanghai and other ports.