With peak shipping season fully underway, will the supply chain be disrupted?
Date：08-21 131 Belong to：News Information
As the peak shipping season unfolds, with shippers preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, carriers warn that stakeholders should be aware of potential disruptions in the supply chain during these key festive periods.
Given the imminent closure of major manufacturing hubs in the first week of October and the potentially disruptive Golden Week in China, the impact could be significant. Additionally, the five-day Diwali festival in India starting November 12th will also have implications.
Retailers, especially, aim to advance shipments about a week before the one-week holiday period to depart China roughly a month before the holidays, ensuring products are on shelves and in warehouses before Golden Week.
While Diwali occurs slightly later in the peak season, lasting five days, stakeholders shipping goods to Diwali-celebrating regions should not underestimate congestion and potential delays.
Maersk states, "Similar to the well-known game of musical chairs, companies without advance planning or collaboration with logistics service providers offering multiple solutions may find themselves without space when the music stops, such as during Golden Week (or Diwali)."
Carrier recommendations include early planning and the use of intermodal containers, capable of both sea and land transport via trucks and trains. This flexibility allows goods to move seamlessly across any mode of transportation, including inland barges.
Booking through integrated platforms enables shippers to view the entire logistics chain of their goods, facilitating more efficient management. Early identification and booking of freight offer greater predictability and flexibility, easing planning, especially amid reduced capacity or port rotation adjustments.
"In previous years, we've seen a 16% decrease in market capacity from July and August compared to September and October," explains Alexandre Pinto, Market Manager at Maersk, citing Sea Intelligence data.
MSC has announced changes to port rotations and vessel deployment for its Asia-US and Far East-North Europe services. THE Alliance also plans to suspend its PS5 service, shifting cargo to PS3, PS6, and PS7 rotations.
The advice is to collaborate with reliable logistics partners capable of flexible responses to deviations or issues. Additionally, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of your cargo's transportation is crucial. Robust tracking services for your cargo type throughout the supply chain, rather than just specific legs of the journey, are essential.
Given the imminent closure of major manufacturing hubs in the first week of October and the potentially disruptive Golden Week in China, the impact could be significant. Additionally, the five-day Diwali festival in India starting November 12th will also have implications.
Retailers, especially, aim to advance shipments about a week before the one-week holiday period to depart China roughly a month before the holidays, ensuring products are on shelves and in warehouses before Golden Week.
While Diwali occurs slightly later in the peak season, lasting five days, stakeholders shipping goods to Diwali-celebrating regions should not underestimate congestion and potential delays.
Maersk states, "Similar to the well-known game of musical chairs, companies without advance planning or collaboration with logistics service providers offering multiple solutions may find themselves without space when the music stops, such as during Golden Week (or Diwali)."
Carrier recommendations include early planning and the use of intermodal containers, capable of both sea and land transport via trucks and trains. This flexibility allows goods to move seamlessly across any mode of transportation, including inland barges.
Booking through integrated platforms enables shippers to view the entire logistics chain of their goods, facilitating more efficient management. Early identification and booking of freight offer greater predictability and flexibility, easing planning, especially amid reduced capacity or port rotation adjustments.
"In previous years, we've seen a 16% decrease in market capacity from July and August compared to September and October," explains Alexandre Pinto, Market Manager at Maersk, citing Sea Intelligence data.
MSC has announced changes to port rotations and vessel deployment for its Asia-US and Far East-North Europe services. THE Alliance also plans to suspend its PS5 service, shifting cargo to PS3, PS6, and PS7 rotations.
The advice is to collaborate with reliable logistics partners capable of flexible responses to deviations or issues. Additionally, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of your cargo's transportation is crucial. Robust tracking services for your cargo type throughout the supply chain, rather than just specific legs of the journey, are essential.
