This year, the upcoming Chinese New Year falls in mid‑February. According to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, the year turns on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, when the Year of the Snake ends and the Year of the Horse begins. The New Year celebration is China’s most important holiday period, during which most factories and production facilities typically close for two to four weeks. The halt in production and logistics causes interruptions in the manufacture of goods and delays in deliveries.
Ensign Freight offices are closed on the following days:
Hong Kong: 17–20 Feb 2026
Mainland China: 15–23 Feb 2026
Many other Asian countries, such as Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam, also celebrate the turn of the year at the same time, which affects production and logistics as well as terminal and port operations. For ocean freight, the period before Chinese New Year is traditionally the busiest season of the year, as manufacturers try to ship large volumes of goods. The last sailings from Chinese ports are mainly scheduled for week 7/2026 and will gradually resume around the turn of February–March.
Ocean Freight
Transit times for container and break‑bulk cargo from Asia to Europe remain longer than normal because carriers are avoiding uncertainties in the Suez Canal and routing ships around Africa. Transit time from, for example, Shanghai to Helsinki is currently typically about eight to ten weeks. Major European container ports are also experiencing congestion and winter‑weather challenges, which may further extend transit times.
Air Freight
Collections and deliveries of air freight shipments will pause for a few days at the start of China’s holiday period, but urgent shipments can often be flown before ocean services fully recover.
We recommend importers and exporters to plan ahead, place orders early and book transport as soon as possible before and after the Chinese New Year.
The Varova sales team will assist in finding the best available options: [email protected]