In mainland China, the official holiday period for Chinese New Year lasts from January 28 to February 4, 2025, during which most businesses and production facilities remain closed. Many factories in China shut down or operate at reduced capacity already before the holidays and return to full production by mid-February. Moreover, the availability of workers is limited before and after the CNY, which further slows down operations in factories and logistics.
As suppliers strive to complete deliveries before the holiday season, ocean freight volumes increase in the weeks leading up to the CNY holiday. Larger-than-usual number of containers and LCL cargo is handled at ports, which can lead to longer waiting times and delays.
Our partner, Ensign Freight, recommends that transport bookings before Chinese New Year be placed by mid-January. The availability of ship space may become limited at a short notice, so we recommend making bookings for as soon as possible for shipments that have tight schedules.
The Varova ocean freight team is happy to assist in any shipment enquiries before and after the Chinese New Year: [email protected]