If you have cargo moving from China over the next few weeks, now is the time to start planning around the upcoming September and October public holidays.
China’s Mid-Autumn Festival will take place from Friday 25 September to Sunday 27 September 2026, followed just a few days later by the National Day Golden Week holiday from Thursday 1 October to Wednesday 7 October 2026.
This year, the build-up to the holidays comes at an already challenging time for freight from China. A succession of typhoons throughout July and August has disrupted operations at several major ports, particularly Shanghai and Ningbo, contributing to vessel delays, cargo backlogs and ongoing congestion.
With the traditional pre-holiday rush approaching while ports are still dealing with the effects of recent weather disruption, we recommend planning upcoming shipments as early as possible.
Key Dates to Be Aware Of
According to China’s official 2026 public holiday schedule:
- Mid-Autumn Festival: 25–27 September 2026
- National Day Golden Week: 1–7 October 2026
For the National Day holiday arrangements, Sunday 20 September and Saturday 10 October are designated working days.
Individual factories, suppliers and logistics providers may operate different schedules around the holidays, with some potentially closing earlier or returning later than the official dates. We therefore recommend confirming your supplier’s individual arrangements and cargo-ready dates in advance.
Recent Weather Disruption Is Adding to the Pressure
The upcoming holiday period follows a particularly challenging few weeks for shipping operations across China.
Successive typhoons have affected major export gateways throughout July and August, including Shanghai and Ningbo. Temporary terminal closures and operational restrictions have contributed to vessel queues, schedule disruption and cargo backlogs.
Most recently, Typhoon Saudel has brought further disruption to East China, with Ningbo container terminal operations suspended ahead of the storm and severe weather affecting the wider region.
As terminals and carriers work through accumulated backlogs, congestion and schedule disruption could continue into September – potentially overlapping with the usual increase in demand ahead of the National Day holiday.
For customers shipping from China, this means the usual advice to plan ahead for Golden Week is particularly important this year.
What Could This Mean for Your Shipments?
The period leading up to Golden Week is typically a busy time for freight from China, as businesses look to get cargo shipped before factories close for the holiday.
Combined with the congestion already affecting parts of the country, this could put additional pressure on ocean and air freight capacity, equipment availability, collections and sailing schedules.
Customers with shipments planned around this period should therefore be prepared for:
- Increased demand for ocean and air freight space
- Reduced availability on certain departures
- Blank or adjusted sailings
- Vessel delays and schedule changes
- Pressure on container and equipment availability
- Changes to factory production and cargo-ready dates
- Reduced staffing at suppliers and logistics providers
- Delays to collections and documentation
- Post-holiday backlogs as normal operations resume
Ports and customs services may continue operating during Golden Week, but with many factories and businesses closed or operating with reduced staffing, the wider supply chain can still experience disruption.
A Short Window Between the Two Holidays
This year’s calendar makes planning particularly important. Mid-Autumn Festival finishes on Sunday 27 September, leaving only Monday 28 to Wednesday 30 September before the National Day holiday begins.
For cargo due to be ready around these dates, this leaves a very limited window for factories, suppliers and logistics providers to prepare and move shipments before Golden Week.
Carriers may also adjust their networks around the holiday period, including changes to capacity and blank sailings, which could add further pressure to schedules already affected by recent weather disruption and congestion.
What We Recommend
If you have shipments due to leave China during September or early October, we recommend getting ahead wherever possible.
Speak to your suppliers now to confirm production schedules and cargo-ready dates and allow additional time for collections and documentation. Where possible, booking freight early will also give you greater flexibility should your preferred sailing become full or schedules change.
Our team is continuing to monitor conditions across China, including port congestion, weather disruption, available capacity and upcoming sailing schedules, and we can help you plan your shipments around the holiday period.
If you have cargo coming out of China over the next few weeks, speak to our team about upcoming departures, availability and the best options for your shipment.