The number of cancelled sailings in March and April on the Transpacific, Transatlantic and Asia-North Europe and Med routes has risen to 198 – far more than in the same period of 2024 (135), according Drewry.
The shipping consultancy’s Container Capacity Insight weekly online service reveals that the increase in the number of sailings which are now being cancelled is particularly high on the Asia-West Coast North America and the Transatlantic routes.
On the Asia-West Coast North America route, carriers normally cancel many sailings in February due to the Chinese New Year, but reduce this practice in the following months. But this year, carriers continued to cancel more than 40 Asia-West Coast North America sailings a month in both March and April.
Drewry believes US importers are hesitant to ship from Asia to the US without knowing what new US tariffs will hit them once they clear their goods on arrival in North America. Therefore, after strong volumes in January-February, which included some “front-loading,” carriers may have anticipated lower shipping volumes and a slowdown in year-on-year import growth and “blanked” sailings.
“Another factor behind the ramp-up of cancelled sailings may be carrier tactics. While carriers and shippers are currently negotiating new service contracts starting from May 1, some carriers may have cancelled sailings to justify increases in contract rates in a market where capacity seems tight,” says Drewry.
Cancelled sailings on Transpacific (Asia-West Coast North America)
Source - Drewry Container Capacity Insight, Supply Chain Advisors
“Even on the Transatlantic route, about twice as many sailings are cancelled this March and April as was the case this time last year. On this route, a much smaller proportion of annual contracts are being negotiated now. The only apparent causes for the doubling of cancelled sailings are the uncertainty of US tariffs and expected decline in volumes.”
Cancelled sailings on Transatlantic (North Europe-East Coast North America)
Source - Drewry Container Capacity Insight, Supply Chain Advisors
