January 19, 2021
Chinese New Year
Many of our international trade partners will be observing Chinese New Year soon, which will take place on February 12, with national shutdowns occurring from February 11 to February 17, 2021.
The Year of the Ox
February 12 marks the beginning of the Year of the Ox. The second animal of the Chinese zodiac, the Ox denotes the hard work, positivity and honesty that will be manifested in all of us in the coming 12 months, according to astrologers.
The Ox is the second of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The Ox was about to be the first to arrive, but the Rat tricked the Ox into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived, the Rat jumped down and landed ahead of the Ox. Thus, Ox became the second animal.
The Ox is also associated with the Earthly Branch (地支 / dì zhī) Chǒu (丑) and the hours 1–3 in the morning. In the terms of yin and yang (阴阳 / yīn yáng), the Ox is Yang.
Anticipated Delays
During this period of celebration, agents, warehouses, airlines, steamship lines and suppliers will cease their operations in observance of the holiday. Please keep in mind your supplier may be closed for longer periods outside of this time frame.
Notably, shipping lines in Hong Kong have warned of disruption and added costs following the reduction of Pearl River Delta barge connections until after Chinese New Year. Further exacerbating delays is the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and pubic health restrictions that have been firmly put in place to reduce the spread of the virus.
In anticipation of the shutdown within China, we are advising clients to inform the Carson Freight Team as soon as possible of any upcoming bookings that are required in January and February, so we can work to ensure space can be allocated.
This month will continue to be very challenging, with lack of space, lack of equipment, and port congestion, that will likely carry well into February after Chinese New Year.
Please reach out to our team for assistance in managing your supply chain over the next few months.