The ‘Golden Week’ is a fixed date each year in the Chinese calendar—and in the logistics industry worldwide. From 1st to 8th October 2025, China celebrates its National Day, bringing large parts of its economy to a halt. Factories stop operations, government offices close, and ports and airports operate on a limited basis. For global supply chains, this means delays, bottlenecks, and increased costs.
Production halt and reduced logistics
As logistics provider Dachser reports, most companies in China remain closed during the holidays. Customs offices do not operate during this time, causing additional processing delays. Although sea and airports remain operational, they do so with reduced staff and lower cargo volumes.
According to Aftrans International, many suppliers start the holidays even before 1st October and only gradually resume work. This can mean interruptions lasting two weeks or longer for European importers.
Impacts on supply chains
The effects are noticeably felt each year:
- Bottlenecks in transport capacity: Booking numbers rise weeks before Golden Week to ensure goods are shipped in time.
- Higher costs: Freight prices for sea and air transport rise significantly, with additional Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) and General Rate Increases (GRI) being common.
- Blank Sailings: Shipping lines cancel departures to align with lower volumes. According to Maersk, this affects departures from Ningbo, Qingdao, and Shanghai between late September and early October 2025.
- Delays in Customs Clearance: Government offices are closed during the holidays, causing backlogs.
- Congestion in Pre- and Post-shipment: Demand for truck transport increases sharply, raising domestic costs in China.
For European companies relying on Just-in-Time deliveries or operating with low inventory levels, these disruptions are particularly critical.
Strategies for companies
Logistics experts advise early planning to minimize risks:
- Book Early: Industry sources recommend booking sea freight at least three to four weeks before 1st October and air freight at least one week in advance.
- Secure Stocks: Companies should increase inventory and coordinate delivery time expectations with business partners.
- Prioritize Critical Shipments: Urgent orders should be identified in advance and potentially shipped by air freight.
- Remain Flexible: Alternative ports, longer transit times, or multimodal routes—such as rail via Central Asia—can help secure deliveries.
- Check Insurance: Cargo insurance against delays offers additional protection.
Significance for Europe
Golden Week isn’t just a Chinese event but directly impacts European markets. Industries such as retail, electronics, automotive, and consumer goods feel the effects particularly strongly.
“In an environment with tight delivery schedules, even a few days’ delay can jeopardize commitments to partners and customers,” says Aftrans International.
Golden Week is thus a regular stress test in the global logistics calendar. For companies: Those who plan early and work with reliable partners can mitigate the effects; those who react too late must expect significant disruptions.
