Ocean freight stakeholders are bracing for a sharp increase in blanked sailings as carriers respond to weakening demand following Chinese New Year.

With the two week holiday now underway in China, shipping lines have confirmed a significant number of cancelled voyages for the remainder of February, anticipating a pronounced seasonal slowdown.

Industry reports indicate that 136 scheduled sailings across the major east-west trades transpacific, Asia-Europe and transatlantic have already been withdrawn this month as demand appears to have tapered off earlier than expected in 2026.

The transpacific trade has been hit particularly hard, with volumes down 7.5% year on year last month as US tariffs continue to weigh on cargo flows.

The capacity adjustments extend into March, with 53 additional blank sailings already announced as carriers attempt to manage capacity in line with softer forecasts. While some shipping lines may hope for a rebound similar to last year’s early peak season, most analysts expect overall volumes to remain subdued for much of 2026.

While demand softens, containership newbuild orders have reached record levels, now equivalent to 34% of the existing global fleet, which suggests the supply demand imbalance could widen through 2028.

However, we are not counting any chickens yet as global shipping remains unpredictable and highly sensitive to external shocks. Geopolitical tensions, slow-steaming practices, port congestion, the Red Sea crisis and vessel scrapping could yet reshape capacity dynamics in the months ahead.

As ever, your team at Westbound will be monitoring developments closely.

 

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