The maritime industry is bracing for significant disruptions as blank sailings continue to challenge the container shipping supply chain. Drewry’s weekly Cancelled Sailings Tracker offers a snapshot of these developments, detailing blank sailings announced by each Alliance compared to the total number of scheduled sailings.
Key Insights:
- Cancellation Rate: Between weeks 4 (20 Jan-26 Jan) and 8 (17 Feb-23 Feb), 109 sailings have been cancelled out of a total of 751 scheduled sailings, reflecting a 15% cancellation rate across major East-West trade lanes.
- Trade Lane Impact:
- Transpacific Eastbound: 49% of cancellations
- Asia-North Europe & Med: 34% of cancellations
- Transatlantic Westbound: 17% of cancellations
- Market Rates: On 16 January, Drewry’s WCI Composite Index fell 3% to $3,855 per 40ft container:
- Transpacific rates dropped by 3%.
- Asia-Europe/Med rates decreased by 4%.
- Transatlantic rates increased by 4%, standing 86% higher year-on-year.
Key Factors Driving Disruptions
- Chinese New Year (CNY): The annual reduction in demand during the CNY holiday is a major contributor to blank sailings. This year, the supply chain is further complicated by the transition to new alliance services.
- Geopolitical Concerns: The ongoing Red Sea crisis and uncertainties surrounding the potential ceasefire in Gaza continue to weigh heavily on shipping operations. While a ceasefire could bring hope, Drewry notes that carriers are likely to exercise caution until the agreement is fully confirmed and tensions subside.
- Alliance Service Adjustments: The reorganization of shipping alliances is expected to cause additional void sailings and longer transit times, further disrupting global trade flows.
Looking Ahead
Drewry forecasts that the ripple effects of blank sailings will be most acutely felt on the Transpacific Eastbound and Asia-North Europe & Med routes over the next five weeks. As the industry navigates these challenges, stakeholders are advised to monitor developments closely and adjust their strategies to mitigate disruptions.
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Source: Drewry
