North American Routes Now Subject To Blank Sailings

Blanking, or cancelling, sailings has been a frequently used method for ocean freight carriers to control capacity on Asian trade, and this practice has now become evident on North American routes.

Last week a 2M Alliance round trip voyage from Bremerhaven was cancelled with just a week's notice provided. This is not the first blanked sailing we have witnessed in recent weeks and is very unlikely to be the last.

The TransAtlantic market, between Europe and North America, has traditionally been far more stable than Asian routes, and has been less likely to be impacted by swings in supply and demand or by peak and off-peak seasons.

However, with global economic conditions being as they are right now, volumes having fallen off the TransAtlantic trade and carriers are now choosing to blank sailings to avoid over capacity. There are also some fears that entire loops could be temporarily suspended if the situation worsens.

Croft Cargo are monitoring the situation closely and will advise of any major developments. Should you require further information on the above, or wish to discuss our extensive range of North American services, then please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team.

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