What is Blank Sailing? Top 6 reasons and impacts

Blank sailing has become a common phenomenon in the global shipping industry, impacting shipping schedules, supply chains and costs. In this blog, we’ll uncover what blank sailings are and how you can save money.

The global shipping industry is the backbone of commerce, moving goods across continents. However, disruptions like blank sailing have become increasingly common, unraveling the supply chains every once in a while. But what does blank sailings mean? And how do they affect businesses? 

Let’s uncover all this and much more in this blog. 

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What is Blank Sailing?

Blank sailings refer to situations where shipping lines cancel scheduled voyages or skip ports on their shipping routes. These decisions are typically made by carriers during port congestion, or when cargo handling and clearance are exceptionally slow. This is also known as void sailing.

For example, imagine your cargo is scheduled to depart from Hamburg and arrive at Jeddah, passing through several key ports. Due to congestion at a port or low cargo demand, the carrier decides to skip a stop, delaying your shipment by weeks. Such instances of blank sailing disrupt schedules and often lead to additional costs like demurrage and detention charges.

Although, please keep in mind that blank sailing is not the same as port omission, as omissions take place when vessels are full or don’t have enough containers to pick up.

6 reasons why blank sailing happens 

There are several other factors behind why blank sailing happens. One major factor is the holiday season. For example, on Chinese New Year, factories close, and shipping demands are lower. However, there are more common reasons for blank sailing: 

Low demand for container space on a vessel	Blank sailing largely depends on the demand for space on a vessel. If the demand is low for a specific string, shipping lines issue a blank sailing or cancel an entire voyage of a scheduled sailing route.
Shipping lines reduce capacity for higher freight rates	Shipping lines resort to blank sailing mainly to optimize their operation and other services. However, they also use this as an opportunity to push up their freight rates by canceling previously scheduled sailings.
Port congestion	Port congestion leads to unexpected delays in the scheduled routine. Thus, shipping lines find it easier to skip a certain port.
Mechanical problems in the ship	Sometimes vessels encounter mechanical issues and require urgent repairs that can only be done at particular locations/ports. This hinders the originally scheduled sailing.
Port strikes and labor unrest	Just like port congestion, port strikes due to labor strife contribute to blank sailing. Such situations can take a long time to settle down and often delays vessel berthing and other services at ports.
Bad weather	Weather warnings such as tropical storms at some locations require ships to play safe. This is done by canceling their trip to these regions. Sometimes, they also ‘wait out’ until berthing and sailing are considered safe again. This may delay the schedule too.

How blank sailings impact supply chains

• It disturbs the timely delivery of goods, leading to possible stock shortages, production delays, and customer dissatisfaction.
• The ambiguity of blank sailings makes it difficult for companies to plan and manage their inventory efficiently.
• The lack of visibility on skipped ports and canceled schedules creates added costs for shippers.

How are demurrage and detention linked to blank sailing?

Blank sailing reduces available containers and vessel space, creating higher demand when ships finally arrive at ports. This demand often leads to delays in retrieving and returning containers, causing consignees to exceed the free time allowed for unloading (demurrage) and returning (detention). These fees can quickly accumulate, significantly increasing shipping costs.

Blank sailing also delays filled containers. Terminal operators may cancel shifts due to fewer imports, leaving containers stuck at ports past their free days, triggering soaring D&D charges—sometimes exceeding the container’s value.

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Blank sailing: Common FAQs

What is blank sailing?

Blank sailing is a term used when a shipping line decides to skip a certain port or an entire voyage of a scheduled sailing route.

Why do black sailings happen?

There are many reasons why it happens, but the most common is when shipping lines want to reduce capacity to keep freight rates steady or increase them.

What is the difference between Blank Sailing and omit?

Blank sailing is not the same as port omission, as omissions take place when vessels are full or don't have enough containers to pick up