In the Asian country, national holidays are key times that have a significant impact on various sectors, including the logistics industry. With millions of people taking advantage of the holidays to travel and reunite with their families, factory closure and port shutdowns. it is essential to understand how these commemorative days can influence the supply chain and operations, as well as the strategies and challenges companies need to consider to maintain efficient logistics during these periods.
Starting in June, the next major holiday on the list is the Mid-Autumn Festival on September 29, which runs through October 3. While it does not have a significant impact on logistics globally, it can have some supply chain implications, such as increased product demand-for mooncakes, transportation congestion in the areas surrounding the event, and the closure or curtailment of company operations.
In second place is the National Day of the People's Republic of China, better known in the industry as "Golden Week", which will be celebrated on October 1, having 2 extra days of vacation, for a week. For logistics, this celebration marks the beginning of a peak shipping season, in addition to an increase in congestion at various ports, labor shortages in factories, increased demand for transportation and delays in deliveries.
Finally, on February 10 of next year, one of the country's biggest holidays, the Chinese New Year, brings factories to a standstill, culminating in a cessation of exports to the world. Likewise, there are usually delays in the reception of merchandise, lack of containers and stoppages in the activity of transporters.
To prevent possible problems due to Chinese holidays, it is recommended to organize shipments, book them well in advance, make sure they have priority, back them up with a contingency plan in case of delays and keep up to date with current news in the region.