With the Chinese New Year shutdown underway, seasonal blank sailings now in effect, and adverse weather continuing to impact European operations, customers should expect some schedule variability over the coming weeks.
Chinese New Year Closures
Factories across China have now closed for the Chinese New Year holiday period. Next week, ports and customs will operate with reduced staffing levels, and while production will begin to resume once the celebrations conclude, the return to normal operating levels will be gradual. Some factories are unlikely to reach full productivity for several weeks. This period of operational restart typically results in lower cargo volumes as production progressively returns to normal levels.
Blank Sailings Confirmed
Blank sailings have been announced on Asia–Europe routes, with cancellations scheduled from this week through to the end of February. This aligns with the typical seasonal slowdown following Chinese New Year, as lower cargo volumes move through the network.
These measures are intended to rebalance supply against reduced demand on key trade lanes. They are a routine part of seasonal capacity management and help carriers balance space availability with current volume levels.
Poor Weather Impacting Vessel Arrivals
Adverse weather continues to hamper vessel arrivals into the UK. Reports of strong winds and high waves have led to cancellations of some Bay of Biscay crossings this week, contributing to ongoing delays.
Average delays into UK ports are currently around three days. This reflects a combination of disruption at sea and within port operations, with poor weather slowing crossings and compounding congestion for vessels approaching port, as well as impacting productivity within European terminals. With high vessel volumes still moving through the network, this has created residual congestion and ongoing schedule volatility. Conditions remain changeable, and further short-term schedule adjustments may occur.
We will continue to monitor developments closely and keep customers informed as conditions evolve.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your shipment, please don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Service Team at 01376 533039 or email [email protected].
