Preparing for Chinese New Year: A Peak Season Strategy for Importers

If your business relies on Chinese suppliers, Chinese New Year (CNY) is the one calendar event you cannot ignore. Factories pause. Workers travel. Space tightens. Rates jump. Yet with a simple plan, you can keep your orders moving and avoid stockouts.

First, timing. Chinese New Year day falls on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Mainland China’s official Spring Festival public holiday runs from Sunday, February 15 through Monday, February 23, 2026, with makeup workdays on Saturday, February 14, and Saturday, February 28.

Second, the real shutdown is longer than the public holiday. Most factories close for at least two weeks, many slow production 3-4 weeks before CNY, and it can take several weeks afterward to return to full output. Some brands don’t see a normal rhythm until mid-March. The festival period traditionally wraps with the Lantern Festival – March 3, 2026 – when staffing and logistics start to stabilize.

In simple terms, Chinese New Year 2026 creates a disruption window of roughly six to eight weeks, starting mid-January and ending in early March. This is the period where delays, rollovers, rate spikes, and production gaps are most likely to affect importers.

Key Takeaways

• CNY 2026 lands on February 17; the official mainland holiday is February 15-23. Plan around both dates.
• Factories typically close 2-4 weeks and recover gradually; full normalization can take up to six weeks.
• Pre-holiday, expect space constraints and higher rates from mid-December; post-holiday, rates often soften. 
• Book early, confirm factory schedules in writing, and build inventory buffers to cover January-March. 
• Prepare alternates: premium services, partial air, or staggered shipments to protect must-arrive dates.

Best Time to Ship Before Chinese New Year 2026

Most importers should target January 5–18 for final pre-holiday departures. During this window, factories still have staff, truckers are available, and carriers have fewer rollovers. If you need goods delivered before March 1, shipping before mid-January is the safest choice.

Bottom line: The earlier the booking, the lower the risk and the lower the cost.

How Long Chinese Factories Close for CNY

Factories usually operate with reduced capacity three to four weeks before Chinese New Year. Many close completely for two to four weeks. After the holiday, production ramps up slowly; it can take four to six weeks for full output to return.

In simple terms, expect a six to eight-week slowdown from mid-January to early March.

Understanding the Chinese New Year’s Impact on Global Trade

The flow of goods changes in four phases.

1. Pre-holiday rush. Exporters aim to ship before the break, creating a spike in bookings and a squeeze on space. Industry guidance notes that ocean and air rates typically rise as early as mid-December and often ease 1-2 weeks after CNY. Expect higher demurrage/detention risks in the crush.

2. Holiday pause. During the official break, many factories close, ports and customs run with limited staffing, and inland trucking capacity is thin. Even priority cargo can slow.

3. Post-holiday restart. Production ramps slowly as workers return in waves; it’s safe to expect that it may take up to six weeks for operations to normalize. Carriers also adjust vessel supply using “blank sailings” (cancelling voyages) to match demand.

4. Rate correction. After the rush, freight rates often soften. Historical analyses highlight a tendency for rates to weaken following CNY once the backlog clears.

Why This Period Matters for Importers

The stakes are real: stockouts, missed launch windows, cash tied up in slow-moving SKUs, and blown margins from last-minute air freight. Space constraints and carrier tactics amplify these risks. For example, analysts tracked that scheduled blank sailings around the 2025 CNY period initially removed only ~9% of capacity – well below 2024 levels – signaling that additional last-minute cancellations were likely as carriers fine-tuned supply. The point for shippers: even “final” schedules can change.

This period also increases the chance of rolled containers, longer transshipment times, and extra origin fees. A small delay in China can cause weeks of delay downstream, especially for importers shipping to destinations with tight inland networks. Planning buffers protects revenue and customer experience.

Planning Ahead: The Foundation of a Smooth Peak Season

Start months in advance. Use your sales plan to forecast demand across January-March, then work backward.

Lock purchase orders early. Some factories stop accepting new orders 4-6 weeks before CNY, and many slow production three to four weeks ahead of the holiday. If you need goods on the water before the break, push for cargo-ready dates in early to mid-January and confirm them in writing.

Sequence your SKUs. Prioritize bestsellers and seasonal items. Defer low-margin or bulky SKUs if space is tight. Where feasible, split orders: ship critical units pre-holiday and the balance post-holiday when rates ease.

Pick the right mode mix. If a must-arrive date cannot be met by ocean, book deferred air or premium ocean services with guaranteed windows. Expect air rates to firm as capacity concentrates on key lanes during the rush.

Coordinating with Suppliers

Ask every supplier for their CNY closure plan and last ship date, then put those dates on a single calendar shared with your team and the forwarder. Confirm production milestones and inspections 10-14 days earlier than usual, because line speeds drop as workers head home. If an item is high-risk (long lead time, single source, critical component), line up a contingency supplier – even if you only place a small “starter” order now to validate quality.

Document everything. Put factory closure dates, handover deadlines, and penalty clauses in purchase orders. A clear paper trail helps everyone keep promises when time is tight.

Managing Freight and Logistics Capacity

Carriers and consolidators reward early, accurate forecasts with space. Your forwarder can also steer you toward sailings less prone to rollovers.

Carriers deploy blank sailings during and after CNY to balance supply and support rates. Sea-Intelligence reported that 2025’s initially scheduled blanked capacity for the CNY window was about 9% – far below prior years – leaving room for additional last-minute cancellations, a pattern also seen around other Chinese holiday periods. Build buffers around cutoff dates and don’t assume today’s plan is final.

In the weeks before CNY, high volumes, limited trucking, and yard congestion can elevate origin dwell and fees. Keep documents clean and containers picked up promptly to avoid extra charges.

Real-time tracking helps you spot rolled containers or transshipment delays quickly. If a sailing cancels, having alternative routings pre-approved shortens reaction time.

It is worth noting that services and factories need time to normalize – often multiple weeks – after workers return. If your sales peak is in March, consider a safety shipment before CNY and a second wave booked to depart in late February/March to catch the rate dip without starving inventory.

Note: importers who share weekly forecasts with their forwarder usually get better space protection. Even rough numbers help carriers plan. This improves schedule reliability and lowers the chance of being rolled.

Risk Management: Keeping Operations Running

• Build safety stock. Hold an extra 2-6 weeks of inventory for SKUs at risk during January-March. You can stage this nearer to customers in regional or bonded warehouses to shorten last-mile time.

• Diversify where practical. Dual-source a small share of your highest-risk items from regions outside mainland China to reduce single-point exposure during the holiday window.

• Contract for flexibility. Negotiate options for partial air upgrades, premium services, or alternate ports if a schedule slips. The ability to switch modes for even 10-20% of units can protect revenue.

• Protect cash. Convert longer lead times into purchase-order financing or inventory financing discussions early, so a bigger pre-CNY buy doesn’t strain working capital.

Post-Holiday Recovery and Restocking

CNY is a restart, not a switch. Many factories reopen with partial crews; training and recalibration take time. Some workers return after the Lantern Festival; full output can take weeks. Plan a phased restock: fast movers first, long-tail SKUs later. Getting the tempo “back to normal” can take as long as six weeks, so avoid promises to your customers that depend on a same-week rebound.

Pro tip: Use the lull after CNY to review what worked. Did you hit your forecast? Did your buffers cover transit variance? Which suppliers met earlier deadlines? Capture these notes now and set reminders for Q4 next year to start earlier.

Chinese New Year 2026 Shipping Cutoff Guide

Practical Timeline for CNY 2026 (simple guide)

Now through mid-December 2025. Finalize forecasts, lock purchase orders, and pull inspections forward. Rates often firm by mid-December; book space early to avoid paying a premium later.

Early-mid January 2026. Target cargo-ready dates. Production slows 3-4 weeks before CNY; some factories stop new orders 4-6 weeks prior. Tighten quality checks and confirm trucking.

February 15-23, 2026. Mainland China’s official holiday window. Expect limited port/customs staffing; most factories closed.

Late February-March 2026. Gradual restart. Plan phased restocks and watch for blank sailings and rolled cargo. Rates often ease 1-2 weeks after CNY; take advantage for non-urgent freight.

Why Importers Partner with Unicargo for CNY and Beyond

Unicargo blends experienced operators with a digital platform that gives you clear ETAs, proactive updates, and mode options when plans change. We help you front-load critical SKUs, secure space before the rush, and build a phased post-holiday recovery so you don’t overpay or run out. From ocean and air bookings to customs, trucking, and regional warehousing, you get one team that keeps your peak season predictable.

Ready to plan CNY 2026 with less stress? Let’s talk.

FAQ

1) When is Chinese New Year 2026, and how long are closures? Chinese New Year falls on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The official public holiday in mainland China spans one week, but many factories slow down 2-4 weeks before and may take several weeks after to get back to full speed.

Simple answer: Most factories operate at reduced speed from mid-January to early March.

2) How early should I place POs and book freight? Aim to raise purchase orders 8-12 weeks before CNY. Target cargo-ready dates in early to mid-January. Book ocean space by December if you can, and secure air options 2-3 weeks before pickup.

Note: As a rule, December is the safest time to secure ocean space.

3) Will freight rates go up – and should I wait to ship after CNY? Rates usually rise before the holiday due to demand and limited space. A smart move is to split loads: ship critical units before the break and move the balance after, when rates often ease.

4) Is air freight a good fallback during the rush? Yes – if timing is tight. Air is faster but pricier, and capacity can be limited. Consider deferred air or premium ocean services with better schedule reliability.

Note: Air freight during CNY is expensive, but still cheaper than a long stockout.

5) What if my container gets rolled or a sailing is blanked? Build buffers into your cutoffs, have alternate routings ready, and use live tracking. Ask your forwarder to pre-approve backup vessels, ports, or mode upgrades so you can switch fast if plans change.

Note: Most rollovers happen in the two weeks before CNY, so early bookings help avoid them.