News / Maersk announces flurry of blanked sailings despite capacity concern

Danish carrier Maersk has announced a flurry of blanked sailings in a possible bid to push  rate hikes (GRIs), despite forwarder concerns that capacity on certain trades is already squeezed.

DHL Global Forwarding warned today that both the intra-Asia and Asia-Oceania trades showed “tight space and rising rates”, with carriers prioritising high-yield shipments.    

The forwarder’s September forecast indicated that demand would outweigh supply on Asia-Oceaniathis month andf next, before reaching equilibrium in November.  

Source: DHL Global Forwarding OFR Market Update

But DHL added that despite this, carriers were expected to “strategically reduce capacity”, and blank sailings to drive GRIs.   

Indeed, Maersk has just announced the blanking of its Dragon service due to depart on 4 October, to coincide with Chinese Golden week holidays. 

While all onboard cargo its northbound voyage, 537N, will be discharged as planned, Maersk advised customers that all cargo booked for the southbound voyage from Qingdao will be delayed until the following Dragon sailing, on 11 October. 

The blanked service, the 540S by the GSL Vinia, was set to call at Qingdao, Ningbo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Yantian, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.  

Further, Maersk will blank voyage 541S on its A04 intra-Asia shuttle, set to depart on 9 October – another trade for which DHL had forecast tight capacity.

However, in comparison with one blank for each of these trades, the Danish carrier is to blank four Asia-Europe and six Asia-US services.

The first on Asia-Europe will be part of Maersk’s AE12 service from Ningbo, in collaboration with Hapag-Lloyd as part of the Gemini network, set to depart on 23 September. The following week, Maersk will blank voyage 539W on its AE15 service from Qingdao to the East Med.

In week 41, Maersk will blank two sailings from Shangai: one on the AE11 service set to depart 7 October, and one on its AE1, due to depart on 9 October to North Europe.

On the transpacifc, voyage 540E on 1 October on its TP8 service from Xiamen to the US west coast will be blanked, along with three TP9 sailings in a row, set to depart 30 September, 7 October, and 14 October.

To the US east coast, Maersk has blanked half the number: two TP11 sailings in a row – 5 October and 10 October, as well as their backhaul sailings.

“As the Golden Week national holiday period in China approaches, Maersk is looking to balance the network in light of forecast reductions in demand and reduced workforce to handle cargo operations,” it said.

“Our overall goal is to ensure minimal disruption to customers before, during, and after Golden Week, with structural changes and alternative routings in place to enhance supply chain predictability.”

The Loadstar previously reported on MSCs announced blanking of six voyages ahead of Golden Week, all impacting the Asia-Europe trades.