Chinese New Year: a key period for international logistics
As Chinese New Year (CNY) approaches, global logistics enters a particularly sensitive phase. This period does not only concern China, but also other major countries in the Asian supply chain such as Vietnam (Tết) and Cambodia. Each year, these celebrations have a direct impact on industrial production, transport capacity and transit times. For importers and exporters, anticipation becomes a decisive factor to secure flows and avoid supply chain disruptions. Understanding Chinese New Year and its logistics challenges A tradition with major industrial consequences Chinese New Year is the most important celebration in the Asian calendar. It is accompanied by extended holidays and massive worker movements back to their home regions. In practice, this results in: Closures extending across several Asian countries While China is at the heart of this period, Vietnam and Cambodia are also affected. These countries play a key role in many production chains, and their simultaneous shutdown further amplifies the global impact on international flows. Operational calendar: key dates to anticipate Closures in China Last departures and maritime recovery These dates may vary depending on ports, carriers and operational conditions, but they provide essential reference points to plan your shipments. A peak of pressure on maritime and air transport Maritime transport: strong pressure before the holidays The weeks leading up to Chinese New Year concentrate very high demand for maritime transport. Every shipper seeks to move goods before closures, which leads to: After the holidays, capacities often remain adjusted by carriers, extending transit times and reducing available options. Air freight: demand peak and reduced capacity Air freight also experiences strong pressure up to the eve of the holidays, with: Here again, anticipating space requests is essential to secure urgent shipments. Best practices to secure your flows during CNY Anticipating orders and bookings To limit the risk of delays, it is recommended to: Adapting post-CNY planning The restart of activity can be gradual and vary by region. It is therefore essential to: CHECK OUT OUR TRANSPORT SERVICES At Nexline, we support our partners at every stage of these sensitive periods. Thanks to our operational expertise and close coordination with our local teams, we help you anticipate constraints, secure capacity and adjust your logistics flows. Our teams remain at your disposal to analyze your needs, provide up-to-date operational information and offer the most suitable solutions for your supply chain.