China Public Holidays 2026: How September and October Holidays Could Affect Shipping
September 8th, 2026
If you have cargo moving to or from China over the next few weeks, now is the time to start planning.
China has two important public holidays coming up in quick succession: Mid-Autumn Festival from 25–27 September 2026, followed by the National Day holiday from 1–7 October 2026, known as Golden Week.
Why could this affect your shipments?
In the run-up to the holidays, we may see increased demand for available shipping space as businesses bring shipments forward.
This can lead to:
- Higher demand for vessel and air freight capacity
- Tighter space availability
- Potential increases in freight rates
- Longer lead times for factory production and cargo collection
- Reduced availability of trucks and warehouse services
- Delays in export documentation and cargo handling
- Possible congestion at ports and terminals
- Slower responses from suppliers and logistics providers during extended leave periods
The biggest risk is leaving a shipment until the last minute and finding that there is limited capacity available before the holiday period.
What should you do?
Book your shipments as early as possible.
If you already know that you have cargo ready, or will have cargo ready towards the end of September, please speak to us now. Early planning gives us more time to secure suitable shipping options and work around potential capacity constraints.
We also recommend that you:
1. Confirm production dates with your suppliers
Check when your goods will actually be ready and whether your supplier plans to close or reduce operations around the holidays.
2. Bring forward urgent shipments
If your cargo is time-sensitive, don’t wait until the final days of September to arrange transport. Earlier bookings give us more options.
3. Allow extra time in your supply chain
Build some additional buffer into your plans for factory collection, documentation, port handling and transit.
4. Check your stock levels
If you rely heavily on Chinese suppliers, consider whether you need to bring stock forward to cover any potential delays during the holiday period.
5. Speak to us about your upcoming shipments
If you’re unsure when to ship, we can look at your requirements and help you plan around the holiday period.
Don’t leave it until the last minute
The official holidays may only cover a few days, but the knock-on effect can be felt before and after the closures as businesses prepare for the break and work through a backlog afterwards.
For importers and exporters, early booking is the safest approach.
If you have shipments planned from China for late September or October, contact us as soon as possible. We’ll help you review the timing, available options and any potential risks so you can keep your supply chain moving.
Planning ahead now could save you delays, additional costs and a lot of unnecessary stress later.