Drewry forecasts 57 container sailings canceled from July 27 to August 30, with 25% impacting Asia-North Europe routes.
57 Container Sailings to be Canceled in Five Weeks
Drewry expects 57 scheduled sailings to be canceled on major East-West container routes between July 27 and August 30. A quarter of the cancellations will occur on services between Asia and Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
According to Drewry's Cancelled Sailings Tracker data, out of 726 planned sailings during the five-week period, 57 will not take place. This corresponds to a cancellation rate of 8%. It is expected that 92% of the scheduled sailings will proceed as planned. Cancellations are concentrated, with 54% occurring on the eastbound Pacific, 25% between Asia and Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, and 21% on the Atlantic route.
Drewry reported that four blank sailings are planned on the Asia-Europe route next week, an increase of two compared to the previous week. This development indicates that even with an increase in total capacity, it may become difficult to find vessel space at certain ports and during specific weeks.
A 'blank sailing' does not mean that the route is permanently closed. It means that the carrier has canceled a previously announced sailing, skipped certain ports, or will not deploy the vessel for that week. When cargo is transferred to the next vessel, issues such as waiting at the terminal, missing transfer connections, and extended delivery times may arise.
Exporters and importers in Turkey need to confirm not only the freight rates but also whether the vessel will actually operate, the transshipment port, the final cargo acceptance date, and the subsequent alternative sailing.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
