Capacity management is well underway as carriers issue more blank sailings. This is due to the drop of imports coming from Asia and the seventh consecutive week of spot-rate declines, according to the JOC.
In February and March, carriers announced 35 blank sailings, which includes 22 to the West Coast and 13 to the East Coast. The JOC noted the Ocean Alliance of APL/CMA CGM, Cosco Shipping, OOCL, and Evergreen have cancelled 10 additional Trans-Pacific sailings for March and April.
As of now, it looks like there will be consistent blank sailing until the end of May.
What Are Blank Sailings?
A blank sailing is a sailing that has been canceled by the carrier. Why? When demand for space is low carriers will cancel sailings in order to ensure that vessels are full and rates stay up, since fewer sailings will be available.
How to Prepare
We recommend that shippers book three weeks in advance, before the cargo ready date, to secure space. In the meantime, do not hesitate to reach out to your Mohawk customer service representative with any questions.