Chinese New Year 2020

Written on the 17 January 2020

Dear Valued Clients,

The Chinese New Year of 2020 (Year of the Rat) is fast approaching, below are some key factors for you to consider during this period.

The public holiday in China for Chinese New Year (CNY) is from January 24th - January 30th. 

Imports from China

FCL & LCL Space

Due to most factories closing down, shippers will aim to export as much cargo as possible prior to the holiday season. This will cause space to be extremely tight from the beginning of January onwards.

Sailings immediately following the end of CNY are also filling fast, should you require cargo to be shipped immediately after CNY please contact your Scorpion representative to discuss the best option for you.  

We recommend allowing an extra week for outer ports as a buffer should your container be rolled to the next sailing.

China Customs

Generally, China customs will run on skeleton staff on duty or half day duty during CNY at some of the larger sea ports however services will be of lower efficiency due to less staff and decreased working hours.

Customs brokers, trucking companies and LCL warehouses will also stop working therefore, we would suggest the following to minimize disruption:

- All shipments must be handled/completed the customs clearance process before the beginning of the CNY.
- For outer ports, the customs offices will be closed during CNY therefore the customs clearance must be finalized prior to CNY.
- If there is emergency or special cargo that must be handled during the holiday, we require notification prior to the beginning of Chinese New Year in order to confirm feasibility during the holiday. We will also need all documentation prior to the CNY as no revisions will be possible during this time.

Trucking Services

Trucking services will suspend around the 17th January in order for workers to travel back to their hometowns.

Trucking companies will be extremely busy for the 2-week period leading up to, and after, the CNY holiday. 

Exports to China

For exports to China, please contact your Scorpion representative to discuss arrival dates and shipping options to avoid any storage or delays over the CNY period for your cargo.