Ports

Shippers Must Plan Early for 2027 Lunar New Year Factory Closures

Logistics providers are warning shippers sourcing from China to accelerate purchasing schedules ahead of next year's lunar new year. The holiday falls 11 days earlier than 2026, beginning February 6, 2027, which compresses the window for cargo movement before widespread factory shutdowns. Seko's UK and Ireland managing director Paul Lockwood said customers are already shifting critical path planning and advancing ex-factory dates. One shipper moved purchase orders three weeks earlier than usual to avoid falling to the back of production queues. The earlier holiday compounds existing pressures on Asian container networks. Sea-Intelligence analysis found vessel delays from typhoons and port disruption consumed approximately 3 million teu of global container capacity, representing 8.5% of total capacity compared to a 2011-2019 average of 2%.