Shenzhen Belly-Cargo Ban, Lunar New Year Surge Threaten Peak Season

· Logistics · China · Taiwan

International belly-cargo operations at Shenzhen will be suspended during next week's APEC summit, while sharply reduced freighter slots threaten to divert peak-season shipments to neighboring airports. The restrictions affect imports and exports through mainland China's third-largest cargo airport, leaving forwarders to reroute. Separately, Yang Ming warned that a pre-Lunar New Year cargo surge could bring congestion and delays, noting that supply chains, particularly in Asia, are only just recovering from delays and port congestion caused largely by severe storms in Asia between July and September. Together the constraints point to a testing peak season for air and ocean gateways across the region.

Why it matters：Simultaneous air-cargo restrictions at a major Chinese gateway and warnings of pre-holiday ocean congestion could push freight rates and delays through regional supply chains during the busiest shipping weeks of the year.

Key points

  • Shenzhen belly-cargo suspension coincides with next week's APEC summit.
  • Reduced freighter slots may divert shipments to neighboring airports.
  • Yang Ming cites storms from July to September as a source of current congestion.

Sources (original reporting)

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