As we approach the Chinese New Year, we would like to provide you with important shipping guidance during this holiday period.
About the Holidays
Firstly, here is a little background info about Chinese New Year;
When: Chinese New Year starts on February 10th 2024, marking the Year of the Dragon (specifically the Wood Dragon).
Duration: Chinese citizens enjoy an 8-day public holiday from February 10th to February 17th.
Lunar Calendar: The festival's date varies, falling between January 21st and February 20th, aligning with the new moon day after the winter solstice.
China's Celebration: A week-long holiday, closures in offices, banks, factories, and non-essential services. Hotels and large retail outlets remain open. School holidays last four weeks, and migrant workers take a temporary break.
Taiwan: Celebrates a 7-day holiday from February 8th to 14th in 2024.
Hong Kong: Residents enjoy a 4-day holiday from February 10th to 13th, 2024.
Southeast Asia: Countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines typically observe shorter holidays, ranging from 1 to 3 days.
Impact on the Freight Industry We asked our partner agents in China, Taiwan & Hong Kong to tell us about the impact on both their local operations. Here's what they said; Shipments to/from China & Taiwan Dates: Public holidays from February 10th to 17th, with many starting leave from February 9th. Factory Operations: Production-oriented factories close from February 1st; export-oriented cease shipments by February 4th. Air Freight: Limited operations from February 7th; plan airfreight well in advance. Ports and Airports: Open during the holidays, but challenges at main ports due to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden situation. Import Arrivals (into China): Schedule imports one week before February 10th for timely processing. Ocean Freight/Red Sea Crisis: Expect rates to continue rising, rerouting via Cape of Good Hope adding at least 10 days to the transit time and huge demand for container space as shippers scramble to get shipments out before Chinese New Year.
We hope this gives you a better overview of the situation during this period. Please Get in touch with us to discuss any orders and we can let you know the routes and pricing options at your disposal.