How SupplyX Masters Golden Week

What is new this year is that, in addition to the classic Northern Europe services, routes in the Mediterranean region and to North Africa are also significantly affected by the reductions.

The effects of this capacity management are being felt at several key maritime hubs worldwide. The three most severely affected Asian export gateways are recording an enormous volume of cancellations:

• Shanghai (risk: very high): most severely affected, with an estimated cancellation volume of > 140,000 TEU.
• Qingdao (risk: very high): TEU reduction of > 120,000 TEU, further exacerbated by cancellations on the Mediterranean services (MEX).
• Ningbo (risk: very high): TEU reduction of > 100,000 TEU.

On the European receiving side, noticeable delays and increased port congestion are expected in Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Antwerp, as well as in the Mediterranean ports of Valencia, Barcelona, and Genoa.

Imports from the IPBC region (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) to Europe are also coming under pressure, as these shipments often pass through the hubs of Colombo and Singapore. Thanks to our own experts at the strategically important SupplyX locations in the key Asian markets and in India, we have a direct connection on the ground and can respond immediately to local changes.

Calendar weeks 40 to 43 are considered the critical phase with the highest risk of delays, with week 41 classified as the absolute peak of the disruption.

Despite the high figures, there is an important nuance for our core business area, trade between the Far East and Europe: Current market developments indicate that the actual effects of Golden Week on this route will be at least partially mitigated. While pressure on other global routes remains high and capacities are heavily utilized, Europe-bound traffic is proving somewhat more resilient.

What this means for you: Vigilance and forward-looking planning remain absolutely essential. However, the mitigating market effects on Europe routes mean that the situation can be managed very effectively with the right logistics partners.

Reduced frequencies, short-notice schedule changes, and an increased risk of rollovers, meaning containers left behind, make forward-looking management indispensable during this phase. Together with SupplyX, you can maintain an overview even during this turbulent market phase. 

We recommend the following specific steps to secure your supply chains:

• Build in additional time buffers: Allow for more generous transit times for all shipments around Golden Week.
• Coordinate early: Inform us of time-critical shipments as early as possible so that we can proactively review alternative routes or more flexible sailings for you.
• Personal support: Your responsible SupplyX Sales Manager is available at any time to support you with tailored solutions to get your freight safely to its destination.