Urgent Warning: 100+ Sailings Canceled for Lunar New Year – How to Secure Your Cargo to USA/Europe?
Publish Time: 2026-02-12 Origin: Site
Updated: Feb 12, 2026 - Last-minute vessel cancellations from Maersk, MSC, and COSCO.
The much-expected “good start” for foreign trade players has failed to materialize in the container shipping market at the beginning of the new year. Instead, a sweeping freight rate collapse across major routes has cast a chill over the start of international logistics in 2026.
Freight Indices Fall for 4 Consecutive Weeks — Down Over 10%
The latest Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) stood at 1,316.75 points, plunging 9.68% in a single week and falling for four consecutive weeks.Almost all major routes declined sharply:
Europe & Mediterranean: down 11.1% and 12.05%
USWC & USEC: down 10.41% and 10.04%
Persian Gulf: plummeted 22.59%
According to Drewry World Container Index (WCI), as of January 29, the composite index fell 5%, with spot rates from Shanghai to New York, Los Angeles, Rotterdam and other key lanes down 4%–7%.
Major freight forwarders confirmed thatspot quotes for 40’ containers on Europe–US routes have generally dropped by $100–300 from previous levels.
Overcapacity Bites — Over 125 Sailings Canceled
The broad-based rate correction is directly driven by the combined effect of the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday and Ramadan.Many shippers front-loaded shipments since December 2025, resulting in significantly weaker expected cargo volume from January through the holiday.Demand has softened temporarily, while capacity supply remains relatively sufficient.
The supply–demand imbalance has forced sharp capacity adjustments:According to Drewry’s container capacity report,125 out of 710 scheduled sailings (18%) will be canceled over the next five weeks — Week 7 (Feb 9–15) to Week 11 (Mar 9–15).
By route:
Trans-Pacific Eastbound: 63% of all canceled sailings
Asia–Europe & Mediterranean: 14%
Trans-Atlantic Westbound: 7%
The US lines face particularly aggressive blank sailings:18, 27, and 28 sailings canceled in the next three weeks,well above the seasonal average.Europe lines will also see 9, 16, and 9 cancellations per week amid factory shutdowns and market volatility.
Short-Term Pressure; Rebound Timing in Focus
Carriers have notified that current rate levels are expected to last through late February,meaning the market will likely remain weak and range‑bound in the short term.
Industry consensus:The post-holiday recovery pace will be decisive.Southeast Asia may resume shipments first due to a shorter holiday.However, cargo volume and rate stabilization for major Europe–US routes may only become clear in early to mid‑March.
Besides rate volatility, stakeholders must also monitor port weather, geopolitical rerouting, and other operational disruptions.The market is navigating the traditional post-holiday low season,waiting for the next tide of cargo demand.