- 8% of scheduled sailings between weeks 37–41 are cancelled, with most on the Transpacific eastbound.
- Over half of the blank sailings are concentrated in weeks 40–41, aligning with China’s Golden Week slowdown.
- Carriers are leaning on blank sailings to balance capacity and stabilize rates amid muted pre-holiday demand.
- Drewry’s WCI slipped 1% to $2,104, with strong gains on Transpacific but declines on Asia–Europe/Med routes.
Container shipping lines are preparing for increased blank sailings in the coming weeks, particularly on major East–West trades, as carriers adjust capacity ahead of China’s Golden Week. While most scheduled departures remain on track, a notable share of cancellations is concentrated on Transpacific eastbound routes. This trend reflects a muted pre-holiday demand surge and carriers’ efforts to manage vessel deployment,as reported by Drewry.
Between weeks 37 and 41, covering 8 September to 12 October, 724 sailings were planned across the main East–West lanes, with 55 cancellations accounting for about 8%. Of these, 60% fall on the Transpacific eastbound, 29% on Asia–North Europe and Mediterranean, and 11% on Transatlantic westbound routes. Although 92% of scheduled sailings are expected to proceed, more than half of the blank sailings are concentrated in weeks 40–41, coinciding with the slowdown from China’s Golden Week.
This year, the usual holiday-driven demand spike has been subdued, with peak cargo flows shifting earlier and softening by September. To counter excess capacity, carriers are relying on blank sailings to keep rates stable into October. Freight rate movements reflect this adjustment: Drewry’s World Container Index slipped 1% week-on-week to $2,104 as of 4 September, with Transpacific rates rising 10%, Asia–Europe and Mediterranean down 8%, and Transatlantic remaining flat. Shippers may face short-notice schedule changes, especially on Transpacific and Asia–Europe services, underscoring the importance of early bookings, flexible planning, and close coordination with carriers and forwarders.
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Source: Drewry
