Despite concerns that shipping lines were failing to act ahead of the seasonal lull around the week-long Chinese Golden Week holidays, the number of cancelled voyages has now risen steeply.
At the end of August, Sea-Intelligence had warned that carriers had cut just 3% of capacity during the four-week period that comprises Golden Week itself and the three weeks that follow. This compared with a capacity reduction of 12.9% in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.
However, in the last two weeks, lines have announced an additional 29 blank sailings. In recent years, lines have become increasingly dynamic in their use of blank sailings, announcing cancellations much closer to the voyage date than in the past.
Read more in an article from Seatrade Maritime News.