Key Takeaways
- 39 sailings pulled. Carriers have blanked 39 East-West sailings in Weeks 41 to 45. That’s 5% of the 710 voyages on the schedule.
- Transpacific takes half. Half the blanks hit the transpacific, a third hit Asia-Europe, and the rest fall on the transatlantic.
- Light by recent standards. Since 2020, about 10% of Asia-US West Coast sailings have been blanked in a typical period, so this round is comparatively low.
- Rolls are still coming. Some pre-Golden Week cargo is expected to roll. Book early and pad delivery dates by 1 to 2 weeks.
Immediate Shipper Alert: Post-Golden Week Blank Sailings
Carriers have blanked 39 sailings across the transpacific, Asia-Europe, and transatlantic trades from October 5 to November 8, 2026. Expect some rolled containers as Chinese factories reopen after Golden Week and export volumes pick back up.
What carriers cut. Drewry’s Cancelled Sailings tracker shows 39 blank sailings from Week 41 (October 5 to 11) to Week 45 (November 2 to 8). That’s 5% of 710 scheduled East-West voyages [1]. This is the space importers will be competing for once Golden Week ends, and it will define ocean freight rates well into November.
Where the blanks are happening. Half of the blanks fall on the transpacific, a third on Asia-Europe, and the remainder on the transatlantic [1]. If you import consumer electronics, apparel, or sporting goods from Asia to the US, watch blank sailing schedules closely.
Why the count looks light. Sea-Intelligence has tracked blank sailings since January 2020. Their data shows about 10% of Asia-US West Coast sailings blanked in a typical period, with a similar level on the East Coast [1]. Against that baseline, today’s blanking is relatively low.
Transpacific rates hold up. Shippers and analysts have blamed carrier capacity management for persistently strong transpacific spot rates over the past two months [2]. Even so, the current blanks are modest. Drewry says the split of blanks across trades still matters as demand shifts after the holiday [1].
This will be particularly relevant on Asia–Europe/Med, where the return of services to the Suez route is adding capacity to the trade, while comparatively limited cancellations on the transpacific could keep space availability firmer.
Drewry, as reported by The Loadstar
Rolled freight is the near-term risk. Bookings for the post-Golden Week period look steady according to reporting by The Loadstar. Yet some pre-holiday shipments are expected to roll because many forwarders didn’t place restrictions on bookings [2]. If your forwarder took cargo the same way, ask now which of your containers are in the potential roll pool.
Carrier Surcharge & Landed Cost Impact Matrix
| Trade Corridor | Carrier Action | Impact per FEU | Effective Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transpacific (Asia-US) | Half of 39 blank sailings | No surcharge reported; roll and space risk | Weeks 41-45 (Oct 5 to Nov 8) |
| Asia-Europe | A third of blank sailings; FAK cuts | Reductions reported, amount not disclosed | First half of October |
| Asia-Europe | FAK spot rate hike | Around $1,000 per 40ft | Second half of October |
| Transatlantic | Remaining blank sailings | No surcharge reported | Weeks 41-45 (Oct 5 to Nov 8) |
3-Step Shipper Mitigation Action Plan
Recommended Next Steps for Logistics Managers
- Book three to four weeks out. Lock space well ahead of cargo-ready dates for anything sailing in Weeks 41 to 45, and don’t assume spot space will be available. Split priority POs across separate bills of lading so one rolled container doesn’t strand a whole production batch.
- Recheck documents after every roll. Ask your forwarder for daily roll notices. Then have your broker match the entry’s vessel, voyage, and arrival details to the revised bill of lading, commercial invoice, and packing list before the container is discharged.
- Pad Q4 and Q1 plans by 1 to 2 weeks. Build 10 to 14 days of buffer into holiday and Q1 replenishment schedules to absorb rolls through mid-November. Move urgent freight on direct services rather than transshipment routings.
Dedola has been helping importers navigate complex circumstances and blank sailings for over 50 years, and we’re here to help. If you’re looking for support on upcoming shipments, reach out to our team today.
References
- Drewry, Cancelled Sailings Tracker (October 2, 2026)
- The Loadstar, Capacity Conundrum for Shippers as Carriers Unveil Post-Golden Week Blanks
