Chinese New Year 2027 shipping is not a one-week problem.
Factories slow down two to three weeks before the holiday. Full capacity may not return until mid-March, as Maersk explains in its yearly guide.
This guide gives FCL importers a dated plan from Yiwu. Your container then sails before the rush, not after it.
Short answer
Chinese New Year falls on 6 February 2027. For Chinese New Year 2027 shipping by sea, confirm your order by mid-December, book by early January and load by the last week of January.
Chinese New Year 2027 shipping dates at a glance
Chinese New Year 2027 shipping revolves around Saturday 6 February, the first day of the Year of the Goat. The lunar calendar fixes that date.
The public holiday around it is not official yet. We treat 5 to 12 February as expected until the State Council publishes its schedule on the Chinese government portal.
8 days
expected holiday with weekends, 5 to 12 February
2 to 3 weeks
factories slow down before the holiday
Up to 6 weeks
of logistics disruption in total
Mid-March
before output is back to normal
Source for the last three tiles: Maersk, Chinese New Year guide.
Since 2025 the statutory Spring Festival holiday has been four days, because New Year's Eve was added, as Linklaters reports. Swapped working days stretch the break to about eight days.
- Fri 5 Feb 2027New Year's Eve. The holiday is expected to start.Expected
- Sat 6 Feb 2027Chinese New Year day.Fixed
- 5 to 12 Feb 2027Expected public holiday, eight days with weekends.Expected
- Sat 20 Feb 2027Lantern Festival, the traditional end of the celebration.Fixed
- Late Feb to mid-MarchFactories and trucking restart in stages.Typical
We keep this post current
When the State Council publishes the official schedule, we update these dates.
Does shipping stop during Chinese New Year?
Ships keep sailing during the holiday. What stops is the China side: factories, trucking, warehouse staff and many offices.
That is why Chinese New Year 2027 shipping delays start before the holiday and run long after it.
Before
Wind-down
Mid-January to 4 Feb
- Factories wind down output
- Buyers rush cargo out and space tightens
- Late cargo is rolled to later sailings
- Trucks and drivers become scarce
During
Shutdown
5 to 12 Feb, expected
- Factories and many offices are closed
- Very few trucks run
- Terminals and offices run with reduced staff
- Sailings continue as scheduled
After
Slow restart
Mid-Feb to mid-March
- Workers return in stages
- Factories restart slowly
- Late orders wait in a queue
- Carriers often cancel some sailings while demand is low
Containers booked ahead usually sail as planned. Late bookings are the ones that get rolled.
Chinese New Year 2027 shipping: FCL booking deadlines
Work backwards from 6 February. These seven Chinese New Year 2027 shipping deadlines are our planning advice for sea FCL from Yiwu.
They follow how factories and trucking behave every year. They are not official dates.
The Chinese New Year 2027 shipping season at a glance
- 1
By 30 Nov 2026
Approve samples, specifications and the final quantity.
Factories fill their schedules early.
- 2
By 15 Dec 2026
Confirm the order, pay the deposit, and get the last production day in writing.
A written date protects you from a late "next week".
- 3
Mid-Dec 2026
Send your cargo details to your forwarder and ask for a booking.
Space is easier to find before the rush.
- 4
By early Jan 2027
Confirm the booking and the vessel.
Late bookings are the first to be rolled.
- 5
About mid-Jan 2027
Check that all goods are finished, counted and packed.
Factories begin to slow down.
- 6
By about 25 Jan 2027Most important
Container loaded, sealed and gated in. Papers approved.
This leaves a week of buffer before trucks disappear.
- 7
Late Feb to mid-March
If you missed the window, book the first sailing after the holiday now.
The restart queue fills fast.
In Chinese New Year 2027 shipping, the 25 January date matters most. After it, trucks become scarce and every day of delay can cost you a sailing.
Notice that the plan starts in November. Factories fill their holiday schedules early, so a late order can miss the production window.
Ask us before you fix a production slot.
Send your cargo-ready date. We check it against our Chinese New Year 2027 shipping calendar and reply with a written FCL quote.
Why Chinese New Year 2027 shipping delays and port congestion happen
Factories close early because workers travel home. Output drops in the weeks before the holiday.
At the same time every buyer pushes orders out. Vessel space tightens, and carriers roll some cargo to later sailings.
Trucking is the next squeeze. Drivers go home, so moving a container from the factory to the port gets slower and harder to book.
Terminals then run with fewer staff. Maersk reports container shortages and longer waits at this time of year.
The restart is slow too. Workers return in stages, and factories take weeks to reach full output.
Carriers often cancel some sailings while demand is low, so the first weeks after the holiday are uneven.
Maersk lists electronics, textiles, toys and automotive among the hardest-hit goods. If you buy toys or textiles from Yiwu, plan early.
Chinese New Year 2027 shipping from Yiwu
Yiwu adds its own timing. Many market booths and small suppliers close before the official holiday, so ask each one for its last shipping day and its reopening date.
Yiwu has no seaport. A loaded container is trucked to Ningbo or Shanghai, and trucks are scarce in the weeks before the holiday.
Four habits protect your sailing:
- 1
Set one cargo-ready date
If you buy from several suppliers, give all of them the same earlier date. The last supplier decides your sailing.
- 2
Count and pack early
Finish carton counts, weights and labels by mid-January.
- 3
Choose the port now
We ship from Ningbo, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Pick the port that matches your supplier and your vessel space.
- 4
Approve the papers first
Agree the invoice and packing list before loading, so the China customs declaration and your export documents do not hold the container.
What to send your forwarder for Chinese New Year 2027 shipping
A forwarder can only book space when the cargo details are clear. Send these items together, in one message.
Not sure about the container size? Use the CBM calculator.
Send your forwarder
- Goods description, and the HS code if you know it
- Number of cartons, total weight and CBM
- Supplier names and loading addresses
- Cargo-ready date for each supplier
- Destination port and the trade term agreed
- Container size you want: 20ft, 40ft or 40HQ
Ask your supplier
- What is your last production day?It sets your real deadline.
- When will packing be finished?Loading needs packed, counted goods.
- When do you close and reopen?It plans the restart.
- Who trucks the goods to the port, and when?Trucks are scarce before the holiday.
- Can you load before 25 January?It keeps your buffer.
Chinese New Year 2027 shipping mistakes that cost a sailing
Most missed sailings come from the same six mistakes. They are all avoidable.
- Waiting for the official datesFactories close before the holiday. Plan from 6 February and work back.
- Trusting "ready next week"Ask for a date in writing and photos of the packed goods.
- Booking only when goods are readySpace is booked first and goods follow. Late bookings are rolled.
- Ignoring a booth's closing dateOne Yiwu supplier that closes early can hold the whole container.
- Sending papers lateA wrong invoice or packing list can stop the container at customs.
- Having no fallbackKnow your first sailing after the holiday before you need it.
What to do if you miss the Chinese New Year 2027 shipping deadline
If your Chinese New Year 2027 shipping plan slips past late January, you still have options. Decide early, because the post-holiday queue fills fast.
- Ship what is ready. Split the order and send the finished goods first.
- Book the first sailing after the holiday now. Late February and March fill quickly.
- Ask which port has space. We ship from four ports, so one may have a better vessel.
- Tell your own customer early. A new date agreed in advance protects your relationship.
Need a wider view? Read our guide to FCL shipping from China or talk to a China freight forwarder in Yiwu.
Chinese New Year 2027 shipping: your questions answered
How long does China shut down for Chinese New Year 2027?
The official holiday is expected to run from 5 to 12 February 2027, about eight days with weekends. Many factories close earlier and reopen later, so disruption can last up to six weeks, according to Maersk. Wait for the State Council notice to confirm the dates.
Does shipping stop during Chinese New Year?
Ships keep sailing, but the China side slows or stops. Factories, trucking and many offices close, and terminals run with fewer staff. Containers booked ahead usually sail as planned, while late bookings are often rolled to later vessels.
When do factories close for Chinese New Year 2027?
Most factories slow down two to three weeks before the holiday, which means about mid-January 2027. Many stop completely in late January and restart in stages after the Lantern Festival on 20 February. Always get your supplier's dates in writing.
When should I book FCL for Chinese New Year 2027 shipping?
Send your cargo details to your forwarder in mid-December and confirm the booking by early January 2027. Aim to have the container loaded by the last week of January. Earlier is safer, because late cargo is often rolled.
How long until China is back to normal after Chinese New Year?
Workers return in stages, so factories restart slowly in late February. Maersk notes that full capacity may not return until mid-March. Orders placed just before or after the holiday often wait in a queue.
Why do Chinese New Year 2027 shipping delays happen?
Three things happen together: factories close early, cargo rushes out before the break, and fewer trucks and port staff work during it. The restart after the holiday is slow, so the delay carries into March.
Can I ship from Yiwu during the holiday week?
A vessel can still sail during the holiday, but loading, trucking and paperwork in Yiwu are hard to arrange because staff are away. Plan to load before the holiday and treat the holiday week as closed.
Are the 5 to 12 February holiday dates official?
Not yet. Chinese New Year day, 6 February 2027, is fixed by the lunar calendar. The State Council is expected to publish the holiday schedule around November 2026. We update this guide when the notice appears.