Blank Sailing

A blank sailing, also called a void sailing, is when a carrier cancels a scheduled call into port. This can refer to a single port cancellation or multiple cancellations across an entire string of calls to port. For shippers, a blank sailing means a vessel will not stop at its scheduled port to load/offload cargo. While this doesn’t happen very frequently, it is still an unavoidable part of the ocean freight industry. 

There are a few reasons why carriers use blank sailings. If a particular vessel is running late in its string of ports, a blank sailing will help improve its schedule reliability at the ports it calls. Blank sailings are also more likely to occur when demand for space on vessels is low, like after large holiday periods, or when vessel and container capacity needs to be moved from one trade lane to another, following market trends. 

Port congestion, port closures, and unexpected incidents, such as poor weather or vessel damage, can also increase the likelihood of blank sailings. If you are a shipper whose cargo has been delayed due to a blank sailing, then it will be rescheduled to move on the next available vessel.