As many seasoned importers know, it’s critical to start planning for the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday far in advance. In addition to CNY, COVID-19 has resurged in China, and booking delays and cancellations are dramatically increasing.

Factories will shut down for several weeks and ocean carriers are expected to reduce their capacity for the month after the Lunar New Year ends. After they reopen, it takes at least a few more weeks to get back up to full production capacity. In addition to these delays, COVID is causing bookings in some regions to be pushed back toward the second half of January and early February, seriously increasing port congestion and blank sailings.

Though the Chinese New Year shutdown and COVID can be a time of stress for many businesses that rely on suppliers in China, it doesn’t have to be. Give us a call to help you navigate the import and supply chain process for a successful new year!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.