Blanked sailings follow ocean demand

Multiple carriers announced more than 75 blanked sailings for the third quarter of 2020, causing shippers concern about how their cargo will be routed going forward. Blanked sailings are intentionally skipped ports in a ship’s itinerary that carriers use to adjust capacity to meet the current cargo demands. The reduction in service points ensures that we will need to be creative and efficient while planning cargo and that rates will remain steady because service options are reduced and capacity reigned in to make the supply equal a reduced demand.

Nelson International maintains contracts with carriers in many alliances to have optional routes for situations like this. If your cargo is headed inland we can find other nearby options like moving from Santos, Brazil to Rio de Janiero, or substituting Norfolk, VA for NY/NY on the U.S. East Coast. However, if the port is the final destination, other carriers may have to be secured to confirm the ship will get to the appropriate port.

Nelson is working diligently to minimize or avoid altogether service interruptions or delays by engaging with our network of strategic partners to find the most cost-effective solutions to the blanked ports. We encourage you to reach out to your Nelson International representative to discuss options as soon as you can to have time to plan for disruptions.