Blank sailing, also called void sailing, happens when a shipping company cancels part of a vessel’s scheduled journey. This could mean skipping a stop at a specific port, or cancelling the entire trip for that vessel. It’s a strategy often used by carriers to manage costs, delays, or changes in demand.
In shipping, most container vessels follow what’s called a string. A string is a set route with fixed ports and scheduled departures each week. For example, a ship travelling from Singapore to Sydney may have scheduled stops in Jakarta, Darwin, and Brisbane. If it skips Darwin, that’s a blank sailing.
When a blank sailing happens, cargo that was meant to be loaded or unloaded at the affected port is delayed or rerouted. This can affect shipments, delivery schedules, and overall planning.
Why Do Blank Sailings Happen?
Blank sailings don’t happen at random. Carriers use them as a tool to manage delays, costs, and shifting demand. In some cases, the decision is sudden. In others, it’s part of a planned schedule adjustment. Below are the most common reasons:
Low Shipping Demand
During certain periods, fewer goods are moving. This is common after major holidays like Chinese New Year or Golden Week, when factories in Asia shut down. With fewer containers to move, carriers may cancel particular port calls or entire trips to avoid running half-empty vessels.
Port Congestion
If a port is backed up because of strikes, limited labour, or too many ships arriving at once, carriers may skip the port to keep the rest of the route on time. This was a major issue during the Panama Canal drought in 2023. Vessel queues stretched for days. To avoid missing other ports in their string, many carriers simply left those stops off their journey.
Bad Weather
Storms, high winds, or poor visibility can prevent ships from safely docking. Rather than wait and fall behind schedule, some carriers blank the affected port and continue to the next. This is more likely in monsoon seasons or during tropical storm alerts.
Mechanical Issues
Ships sometimes need urgent repairs. If a vessel is delayed for maintenance, it may need to skip one or more ports to catch up with its schedule. These mechanical issues can include anything from engine faults to onboard system failures. A good example is when older vessels were taken offline during the 2021 sulphur regulation upgrades.
Market Strategy
Blank sailings are often planned. Carriers may cancel sailings to reduce available capacity and push freight rates up. This tactic is common when demand softens and prices begin to fall. In early 2024, several carriers implemented blank sailings across Asia–Europe routes due to rerouting around the Red Sea crisis, reducing the number of available vessels on that lane and stabilising spot rates.
Regulatory or Political Disruption
Changes in shipping regulations or regional instability can force reroutes and cancellations. For example, after Houthi attacks in the Red Sea in early 2024, major shipping lines diverted vessels around Africa. Many ports were skipped entirely to maintain a predictable schedule. Similarly, new environmental rules such as low sulfur fuel regulations can lead to schedule changes if vessels need to retrofit or reduce speed.
What Happens to Cargo During a Blank Sailing?
When a blank sailing is announced, cargo that was meant to be moved does not always follow the original plan. What happens next depends on where the container is in the journey.
If your cargo has not yet been loaded, it usually stays at the origin port. It will wait there until another vessel becomes available on the same route. This can lead to delays of a few days or sometimes even weeks.
If your cargo is already on board and the planned stop is skipped, it might be offloaded early at a nearby port. From there, it could be transferred to a smaller vessel known as a feeder. The feeder takes it to the final destination, but this can add time and require new coordination.
In some cases, the container stays on the ship and continues to the next port on the string. From there, it may be rerouted back or redirected through another leg of the network. This often involves updated paperwork, new arrival times, and coordination with local handlers.
Blank sailings can also lead to rollovers. A rollover happens when your cargo is bumped to a later sailing due to limited space. This often causes reshuffling of schedules and updates to shipping documents.
How Blank Sailings Impact Your Supply Chain
Blank sailings create more than just a shipping delay. They affect how you manage stock, meet deadlines, and plan freight across your supply chain.
The most common impact is longer lead times. When a shipment is held back or rerouted, it can take days or even weeks longer to arrive. This disrupts planning for retailers, manufacturers and distributors. If your supply chain runs on tight schedules or just-in-time systems, even a short delay can stop production or leave shelves empty.
Some businesses may face overstock issues. If one delayed shipment arrives late and the next one arrives on time, both may land at once. This can overwhelm storage space and cause new problems with warehousing or stock rotation.
Blank sailings also bring extra costs. Road transport may need to be rescheduled. Storage or demurrage fees can apply if containers are stuck at port. In some cases, late deliveries may trigger contract penalties or missed sales windows.
How to Reduce the Risk of Blank Sailings
You can’t stop blank sailings from happening, but you can plan around them. These steps help keep your goods moving even when a schedule changes.
1. Choose Carriers with a Reliable Track Record
Some shipping lines have more schedule changes than others. Look at the history of blank sailings on your trade lane. This data is available through freight platforms or forwarders. Choosing a carrier with fewer skipped sailings lowers your risk of delay.
2. Build in Extra Time When It Matters
If your shipment is tied to a product launch, event or season, add extra lead time. This is especially important around known risk periods like Chinese New Year or cyclone season. A few extra days can prevent bigger issues later on.
3. Track Shipments Independently
Relying only on carrier updates can leave you one step behind. Use tracking tools that pull live data from vessels and ports. Some platforms can show if a ship is falling behind schedule before the carrier makes changes. This gives you time to act.
4. Work with a Flexible Forwarder
A good freight partner can move your cargo to another vessel or route with minimal delay. Look for forwarders who offer real-time updates and have direct contact with carriers. The more connected they are, the faster they can adjust.
5. Consider Alternate Routes or Transport Modes
If a route is known for blank sailings, explore other options. You may be able to move part of the journey by rail or air if timing is critical. It costs more, but the trade-off may be worth it to meet demand or avoid penalties.
What You Can’t Do: Can You Get Compensation?
Most of the time, no. Shipping contracts are written in a way that protects the carrier from these situations. Blank sailings are considered a normal part of ocean freight operations, not a failure to deliver service.
When you book a shipment, the carrier agrees to move your cargo, but not always on a specific day or vessel. This is called a non-guaranteed service. If your booking is affected by a blank sailing, the carrier will usually move your container on the next available sailing. They do not cover costs for delays, storage, or missed deadlines.
Even when a blank sailing is planned in advance, carriers are not required to pay penalties. The terms and conditions give them flexibility to adjust their schedule for operational reasons.
If your shipment is time sensitive, ask your freight forwarder about options with better service guarantees. These come at a higher cost but may include compensation for delays in some cases.
Is Blank Sailing Always Bad?
Not always. While blank sailings usually cause delays, they can sometimes work in your favour depending on the route and timing.
If the skipped port is not part of your shipment’s path, the vessel might arrive at your destination earlier. For example, if a ship skips a stop in Fremantle and heads straight to Sydney, your container could land a few days sooner than planned.
Blank sailings can also shift capacity to other ports. If fewer ships are stopping at one location, more vessels may become available on nearby routes. This can lead to shorter wait times or lower freight rates, especially if demand stays low.
These cases are not common, but they do happen. It is important to stay informed so you can take advantage of changes when they benefit your supply chain.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a sailing has been blanked before it happens?
Blank sailings can occur with little notice, but there are signs to watch for. If a vessel stops transmitting regular tracking updates or appears idle near port, that may point to a schedule change. Some carriers also update service advisories in advance, especially if the change is part of a larger capacity adjustment.
What is the difference between a blank sailing and a vessel rollover?
A blank sailing is when a carrier cancels a scheduled port or voyage. A vessel rollover is when a container is left behind even though the vessel departs as planned. For the shipper, both can cause delays, but a rollover usually happens due to space limitations or booking errors.
Do blank sailings affect import and export shipments differently?
Yes. Export cargo may remain at the origin port longer, which can lead to added storage costs or missed delivery windows. On the import side, goods might be offloaded early or delayed further inland. In both cases, paperwork often needs to be updated to reflect the change in routing.
Are some trade lanes more prone to blank sailings than others?
Blank sailings tend to increase during periods of low demand or disruption. Asia to Europe and Transpacific routes are more likely to see changes, especially during major holidays or geopolitical events. Regional routes may also be impacted if ports along the network face bottlenecks or slowdowns.
Stay Ahead of Blank Sailings with Better Planning and Tools
Blank sailings can disrupt even the best-planned shipments. While you can’t stop carriers from cancelling a route or skipping a port, you can plan around it. Building in lead time, using smarter tracking tools, and working with flexible forwarders can reduce the impact on your supply chain.
Clear documentation also plays a major role. If your cargo is delayed, offloaded early, or redirected through a different port, you may need to issue updated shipping documents fast. That’s where IncoDocs helps.
With IncoDocs, you can create and share commercial invoices, packing lists, and Bills of Lading from one place. If your plans change, you can reissue compliant documents in minutes. This gives you more control when things don’t go to plan.
Looking for a better way to manage shipping documents across changing schedules?
Explore IncoDocs and keep your supply chain moving.
