Blank Sailings Surge on Asia-North America Routes

In recent weeks, the container shipping sector has undergone notable adjustments in planned vessel capacity, particularly on trade lanes between Asia and North America. These changes are driven by an unpredictable trade environment and a swiftly evolving tariff landscape.

According to SONAR’s Container Atlas data, bookings for exports out of China have dropped 20% year-over-year through mid-April, as shippers weigh the possibility of shifting manufacturing to countries like Vietnam and others in the region.

“Our distributors keep pushing us to place more orders to get ahead of potential tariffs,” said an independent housewares retailer in an interview with FreightWaves. “I’ve told them we’re already well-stocked, but it’s starting to feel like they’re trying to exploit the uncertainty.”

On the Asia-to-North America West Coast route, scheduled shipping capacity for weeks 16 through 19 of 2025 has seen a significant cut. Six weeks ago, carriers had planned to deploy 1.43 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). By week 15, that figure had fallen to 1.37 million TEUs—a 12% decline—according to a new analysis by Sea-Intelligence.

Even sharper reductions have occurred on the Asia-to-North America East Coast route. In just six weeks, projected capacity for weeks 16-19 declined from 1.01 million TEUs to 867,000 TEUs, marking a substantial 14% decrease.

Perhaps the most dramatic development is the spike in blank sailings. Just three weeks ago, carriers had planned to leave 60,000 TEUs unshipped during weeks 16-19. That number surged to 250,000 TEUs in just one week as shipping lines responded to the plummeting volume of Chinese exports by canceling numerous sailings. By week 15, blanked capacity for that period had climbed further to 367,800 TEUs.

Blank, or void, sailings occur when carriers cancel scheduled voyages or skip certain ports. These are commonly used as a tactic to stabilize freight rates during periods of weak demand.

Interestingly, the trans-Atlantic trade has remained relatively steady, without the same fluctuations seen on Asia-North America routes. This stability is likely tied to a recently announced 90-day pause on tariffs by both the Trump administration and the European Union.



These rapid shifts in shipping capacity highlight the industry’s reactive stance. With tariffs being introduced and withdrawn almost daily, both ocean carriers and cargo owners are making short-term decisions while holding off on broader supply chain restructuring until trade conditions settle.

Source: www.freightwaves.com