By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) –
Ocean carriers are to cancel several headhaul sailings to North Europe around the Chinese New Year holiday next month.
It is a blow for beleaguered shippers that have managed, at great expense, to secure space on sailings that won’t happen.
2M partners Maersk and MSC intend to blank three advertised sailings from Asia to North Europe in weeks 5-7, including one vessel that will be allowed to ‘slide’ into the following week, maintaining existing bookings.
And Ocean Alliance member CMA CGM will also skip three loops during the same period.
MSC said the blankings were necessary “due to the slowdown in demand during CNY” as well as the “challenging congestion across the supply chain”.