Blank Sailings from China & Southeast Asia to Australia: What It Means for Your Supply Chain

The global shipping industry is once again facing significant schedule disruptions, with major shipping lines announcing blank sailings on routes from China and Southeast Asia to Australia.

A blank sailing occurs when a shipping line cancels a scheduled sailing, either skipping a port or omitting an entire voyage. While blank sailings are a common strategy for carriers to manage capacity and balance supply with demand, they have immediate impacts on cargo flow and planning for importers and exporters alike.

What to Expect

With these blank sailings in effect, we anticipate:

✅ Delays and roll-overs at POL and transshipment ports – Cargo may not be loaded as booked and could face longer wait times until the next available sailing.
✅ Congestion at key ports – Disruptions at origin ports in China and Southeast Asia can quickly ripple through transshipment hubs, leading to bottlenecks.
✅ Increased freight rates – Shipping lines are leveraging tighter capacity to push for a General Rate Increase (GRI) or rate restoration in the second half of July. This means higher freight costs could be on the horizon for Australian importers.

Why Is This Happening?

Carriers are responding to several factors:

• Imbalanced supply and demand due to fluctuations in global trade.
• Ongoing port congestion issues across Asia.
• Efforts to maintain profitability and stabilize rates amid market volatility.

What Should You Do?

✅ Plan ahead – Factor potential delays into your inventory and supply chain planning.
✅ Book early – Securing space earlier can reduce the risk of roll-overs.
✅ Stay flexible – Be open to alternative routings or carriers if schedules change.
✅ Talk to Transitainer – Where Forwarding Means Forward Thinking. We keep you updated, informed, and in control.

At Transitainer WA, we are closely monitoring carrier announcements and port developments to keep your supply chain moving as smoothly as possible. We’re here to support you with proactive solutions and timely updates.

If you have any concerns or questions about your shipments, please reach out to our team.