With Chinese New Year approaching, space remains limited across services. Some isolated trial movements have taken place through the Suez.
Space Remains Tight Across Key Services
As we move through mid-January, demand remains very strong ahead of Chinese New Year on 17 February 2026. Volumes have continued to build as shippers accelerate bookings in advance of factory closures across China and Hong Kong.
Vessels across key services continue to run very full, with limited space availability. Ongoing pressure on capacity has supported upward movement in freight rates.
Looking ahead, demand is expected to remain elevated. With Easter falling early this year, there is little scope for post–Chinese New Year shipments that need to arrive ahead of Easter, which is likely to keep utilisation levels high. Customers are therefore advised to plan shipments early and secure bookings wherever possible.
Schedule reliability is broadly holding up, but high utilisation means short-notice changes remain possible. We continue to monitor capacity and will keep customers informed of any developments.
Limited Trial Activity Through Suez
While the majority of services continue to route around the Cape of Good Hope, there are early signs that shipping lines are beginning to consider a cautious transition back through the Suez Canal, subject to ongoing security developments.
One carrier has recently trialled limited Suez transits on the Asia–US East Coast trade lane as part of safety and feasibility testing. These exploratory movements have now led to an announcement that its service between the Middle East and India to the US East Coast will structurally shift to transit via Suez. While this represents a notable development for that specific service, it does not signal an immediate or wider change in routing across carrier networks.
At this stage, there are no confirmed plans for a widespread return to the Suez across carrier networks. The expectation is that any shift will be phased and cautious, with routing decisions closely aligned to how the peace process develops over time.
For now, most services continue to operate around the Cape. However, if current conditions are maintained, we would expect a gradual increase in Suez transits over the coming months, rather than a sudden or immediate change.
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].
