China–Australia schedules remain heavily disrupted, with capacity tightening further as we move into peak season.
Several carriers are already planning significant port omissions through September and October:
- A3N: Shanghai omitted throughout September and October.
- A3X: Qingdao omitted throughout September and October, with Shanghai also omitted on 28 September.
- ZAX / Panda: Shanghai omitted throughout September.
Port congestion & schedule recovery
Following the recent typhoon disruption, operations at Shanghai and Ningbo are improving, but schedule recovery will take time.
Shanghai is still experiencing vessel berthing delays of around 5–7 days, with the flow-on effect expected to impact Ningbo, Xiamen and Shenzhen.
The next issue to watch is equipment availability, with empty-container shortages typically following major congestion by several weeks.
Peak season pressure
September–October is already a critical period for Christmas and year-end inventory replenishment, and this year the pressure is amplified by the Mid-Autumn Festival (25–27 September) and National Day holiday (1–7 October).
With fewer effective working days and planned blank sailings, we expect strong demand for available space leading into the holidays.
Rate outlook
Carriers are pushing further late-September increases, with proposed GRIs/RRs of approximately:
USD 500 / 1,000 per 20’GP / 40’HQ
What should importers do?
If you have cargo shipping from China over the next 4–6 weeks, we recommend:
1. Build in an additional 3–7 days for empty release, loading and port delays.
2. Secure equipment and space early, particularly for heavy 20’GP, OOG and reefer cargo.
3. Avoid leaving Shanghai, Ningbo and Yantian gate-in until the last 1–2 days before cut-off.
The key message: this is no longer simply a question of freight rates. Space, equipment and reliable vessel schedules are becoming equally important.
If you have upcoming China shipments, speak with us early so we can assess the available routing, space and cost options before committing cargo.