The global sea freight market is entering its seasonal slowdown as Golden Week begins next week. Space remains limited as carriers blank sailings to match lower volumes, and some schedules may change at short notice.
Golden Week Closures
Next week marks the start of Golden Week in China, which falls between 1st and 7th October. During this period, factories and offices close, production pauses, and port and customs operations are limited, so most cargo movements stop until work resumes from 8th October. Operations typically restart gradually, so it can take some time for cargo flows to normalise. Volumes are expected to build week by week as factories return to full production.
Carrier Capacity Management
To balance lower export volumes over the holiday period, carriers have scheduled blank sailings through to mid-October, with the possibility of additional short-notice cancellations. These cuts form part of wider capacity management by carriers to keep supply in line with the seasonal slowdown. While this helps stabilise rates, it reduces available space, particularly on Asia–Europe services.
Looking Beyond Golden Week
We expect demand to build again for shipments that need to arrive within the window leading up to Chinese New Year. If typical seasonal demand does not materialise, carriers are likely to extend blank sailings further in October to keep supply in line with demand.
Further last-minute service cancellations remain possible, which could cause short-notice schedule changes and some supply chain disruption. We will continue to monitor carrier announcements and update you on any changes that may affect your shipments.
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].
