Trans-Pacific blank sailings surge as ocean freight volumes plummet

The global container shipping industry has seen a sharp uptick in vessel schedules in recent weeks, particularly on routes connecting Asia to North America, in response to a volatile trade environment and rapidly changing tariff landscape.

Data from SONAR’s Container Atlas shows that orders from China were down 20% year-over-year through mid-April, as shippers consider shifting to Vietnam and other manufacturing hubs in the region.

“Our distributors have been urging us to order, order, order, to get ahead of tariffs,” an independent home goods retailer told FreightWaves. “I told them we have enough inventory as it is but it is starting to feel like they’re taking advantage.”

“But at some point we’re going to have to manage through this tariff mishegas,” she said, using the Yiddish word “mishegas” to mean chaos and madness.

On the Asia-West Coast of North America trade, there has been a sharp decline in planned capacity for weeks 16–19 of 2025. Six weeks ago, the planned deployment was 1.43 million TEU, but by week 15, it was 1.37 million TEU—a 12% drop, according to a recent report from analytics firm Sea-Intelligence.

The Asia-East Coast of North America trade has seen an even steeper decline. Over the same six-week period, planned capacity has fallen from 1.01 million TEU to 867,000 TEU—a 14% drop. The most notable is the surge in “blank sailings.” Just three weeks ago, there were only about 60,000 TEUs cut in weeks 16–19. However, in just one week, that number jumped to 250,000 TEUs as carriers cut sailings in response to the sudden drop in Chinese exports due to tariffs. By week 15, the total capacity cut for the period had reached 367,800 TEUs.

“Blank sailing” refers to the cancellation or omission of certain ports on a scheduled voyage. Carriers often use this tactic to keep freight rates stable when demand drops.

Interestingly, the transatlantic trade has not been affected in the same way. Capacity on the trade has been relatively stable, possibly thanks to the recent 90-day tariff suspension announced by the Trump administration and the European Union.

The rapid adjustments in shipping capacity today reflect a short-term response across the industry. With tariffs being imposed and suspended on a daily basis, both carriers and shippers appear to be making temporary adjustments to their supply chains, waiting for stability to return before reconfiguring their long-term transportation systems.

See more:

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• COSCO schedules: Vietnam - North America in Apr 2025
• SITC updates Vietnam-Intra Asia sailing schedules in Apr 2025

Source: Phaata.com (According to Freight Waves)

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