The Impact of Chinese New Year and How to Prepare
Chinese New Year is one of the most challenging periods for international logistics. Every year it has a significant impact on global supply chains, from factory closures and port congestion to restricted transport capacity and higher costs.
Chinese New Year (CNY), also known as Lunar New Year, marks the beginning of China’s largest holiday period. To make sure your business is prepared, it is important to understand the logistics and supply-chain challenges associated with the holiday.
As people across China prepare to reunite with family and friends, factory shutdowns and reduced handling capacity at ports can cause delays and disruption across supply chains.
When is Chinese New Year 2026?
The date of Chinese New Year changes each year according to the lunar calendar. The upcoming Year of the Fire Horse begins on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
How will CNY 2026 affect your business?
China has become a leading manufacturing and export powerhouse. Manufacturing and export operations across its provinces slow sharply during CNY, and factories may close close to a month before the official holiday period, creating potential supply-chain disruption across the country.
What are the key dates for your supply chain?
Although the official CNY holiday lasts only around one week, factories commonly close two weeks to a month beforehand so workers can travel home and spend more time with their families. Factory shutdowns mean goods are not moving from production sites to ports and airports. Advance ordering is strongly recommended.
Reduced container availability and transport capacity
Chinese ports generally continue operating during CNY, but often at lower capacity. Vessel and aircraft space becomes more limited because of the seasonal peak.
In the weeks before CNY, carriers receive a high volume of bookings and capacity shortages can occur because of overbooking. Equipment shortages can also emerge as booking volumes rise.
Container delays
Ports operating at reduced capacity may experience container delays. If your orders have firm deadlines, careful scheduling of shipments to and from China is essential to avoid late deliveries.
Higher freight rates
First- and last-mile services in China may become more expensive during CNY because of reduced trucking capacity and extended holiday periods.
How to prepare for CNY 2026
1. Plan your cargo as early as possible
Book sea freight in advance, ideally at least 3–4 weeks before CNY. The earlier you plan, the better the chance of maintaining stable business operations through the holiday period. Many factories close several weeks before the official holiday, so purchase orders and production schedules should be confirmed early.
2. Plan your inventory correctly
Review stock levels before and after CNY so that you have sufficient inventory and can avoid shortages or delays if market demand rises. The effects of factory closures during CNY can continue into spring, so coordinate production-ready dates with suppliers and expect them to change as factories operate at full capacity before the holiday.
3. Secure alternative options
Consider backup transport options such as economy air freight or rail instead of ocean freight for urgent shipments or very short delivery windows. Direct container services via Greece with onward delivery to Bulgaria can also be a useful alternative.
4. Watch for blank sailings, schedule changes and force majeure
Check the schedules of your selected ocean carriers in advance, as blank sailings or vessel delays can reduce transport options. Strikes, port and strait congestion and winter weather can all negatively affect vessel movement and handling.
5. Work only with proven logistics partners
Using trusted logistics providers with the expertise and resources to handle holiday disruptions reduces pressure during the peak period and provides greater confidence that products will reach customers on time.
How Unimasters can support you during CNY 2026
During the holiday period, Unimasters remains available to simplify your logistics and reduce the stress of organising shipments.
1. Visibility throughout the journey
When you plan and organise cargo with Unimasters, you gain visibility across your bookings and reduce the need to coordinate multiple external providers. This lowers the risk of complications during peak periods and reduces the time and resources spent managing complex documentation and terminology.
2. Intermodal solutions, alternative routes and different modes of transport
With Unimasters, you can switch transport modes or redirect urgent cargo from slower ocean freight to faster air or rail solutions from China. We can also organise first- and last-mile container transport by truck or by combined rail and truck, without requiring you to negotiate separately with multiple providers or know the Chinese transport market in detail.