Blank Sailing: Key Reasons, Impacts & How to Prevent It

Blank sailing has become a major problem in the shipping industry. It disrupts the supply chain process and often causes delays in the arrival of shipments. There are several reasons why carriers opt for blank sailing. As a business owner, it is important to identify the reasons for blank sailing and address them to ensure timely deliveries. Advanced tracking tools can help better plan, which may prevent this issue. Seeking services from a reliable shipping partner such as Shiprocket CargoX can also help streamline the process. Let us take a closer look at the concept of blank sailing. We have covered everything from its possible causes to solutions.

Decoding Blank Sailing in the Shipping Industry

Blank sailing indicates that a vessel has skipped one or more ports on its listed route. Carriers make this decision for various reasons, mainly to avoid delay. However, it affects the global supply chain system by hampering initial route planning. Reasons for blank sailing include port congestion, harsh weather conditions, and repair work at the port terminal. Other factors may include regulation changes, port closures, labour strikes, and efforts to reduce transportation costs. 

Also known as void sailing, it can impact the timely delivery of goods. This may lead to inventory shortage at the warehouse, resulting in delayed deliveries. This ultimately creates customer dissatisfaction, bringing a bad name to the business. Thus, it is important to address the issue of blank sailing.

The Main Reasons Behind Blank Sailing

Here is a closer look at the key reasons leading to blank sailing:

1. Harsh Climatic Conditions: Bad weather conditions, such as heavy rain, storms, and fog, can make sailing difficult for ships. To prevent them from getting stuck or malfunctioning, ships skip specific ports. Blank sailing is also imperative in such conditions to ensure crew members’ safety and avoid delays that could arise from navigating through hazardous waters.
2. Port Congestion: At times, many ships arrive at a port simultaneously, causing congestion. Each vessel must undergo certain checks to receive clearance from the port. This extensive process leads to delays, with more and more vessels lining up, further contributing to the congestion. To avoid this hassle, carriers often skip such ports.
3. Changes in Regulations: Another reason is changes in government regulations related to trade policies and environmental standards. These regulatory changes can require carriers to adjust their routes or skip certain ports to comply with new requirements, forcing them to opt for blank sailing.
4. Port Closure: Sometimes, ports may get closed unexpectedly. There can be various reasons for such sudden closures. Labour strike is one of the main reasons. Government order or security threat can also lead to it.
5. Operational Inefficiency at the Port: Port authorities may have difficulty efficiently handling routine tasks due to equipment failure or labour shortages. This can slow the clearance process, forcing carriers to cancel sailings through that port.
6. Repair Work at the Terminal: A port terminal may have to undergo urgent repair work. It can get difficult or even impossible for ships to pass through such a terminal. In such a case, it becomes necessary to seek another route
7. Cost Reduction: It has been noticed that carriers avoid certain ports during low-demand periods to decrease their operational cost. It helps them save on the fuel charges.

How Blank Sailing Disrupts Your Supply Chain?

As already stated, blank sailing greatly impacts the supply chain process. It affects the process negatively. But how? Let’s take a look:

• When a carrier changes the route assigned to its vessels, it disturbs the estimated delivery time. This can lead to a shortage of stock at the warehouses where the shipment is supposed to arrive. If the vessel is carrying raw material, a delay in its delivery may lead to a delay in the manufacturing process.
• Due to blank sailing, businesses find it difficult to manage their inventory efficiently, which impacts their sales.
• Shippers often incur additional costs due to a lack of visibility regarding the skipped ports.

Ensuring Shipping Transparency with Modern Tracking Solutions

It is important to track shipments in real-time to ensure transparency in the shipping industry. Accurate tracking is also necessary to ascertain operational efficiency. Thanks to technological advancements, this is now possible with ease.

Many companies use IoT and advanced GPS systems to monitor their shipments’ location. Issues such as container misplacement and delayed deliveries can be addressed with their help. This is because businesses get a chance to take timely action in case any problem arises. By leveraging enhanced container tracking, customers can also be informed about the whereabouts of their shipment. They can track the movement of their parcel from the time it leaves the warehouse till it reaches its final destination. This enhances customer experience and increases the chances of repeat purchases.

Smart container monitoring is also gaining popularity. It uses IoT sensors to assess containers’ condition and location as they move across oceans. With this new-age system, it is possible to check the temperature and level of humidity inside the container. This is especially useful for perishable items that require maintaining a certain temperature. It also helps detect vibration and shock a container may encounter as the vessel moves. It gives an idea about the damage that may be caused during shipping. In addition, the business owners can also find out if any tampering is done with their consignment. This enhances the safety of the shipment. Freight management has thus become easier with the use of this technology.

Leveraging CargoX for Seamless Shipping and Avoiding Blank Sailing

Choosing an experienced and reliable shipping partner is important to ensure your shipments move safely and arrive on time. When you choose CargoX services, bulk consignments can be moved smoothly across borders, avoiding issues such as blank sailing. This is because CargoX handles the complex customs clearance procedure for cargo. This speeds up the cargo movement and enables timely deliveries.

Moreover, using advanced tools, it constantly monitors cargo moving across borders. Customers are informed about their shipments’ real-time location, enhancing their satisfaction level.

Conclusion

Blank sailing has become a common problem in the shipping industry. Shipping carriers skip ports to avoid bad weather, congestion, and clearance issues. However, it often leads to delays, disrupting the supply chain process. It is important to move the shipment as per the pre-defined route. In case, a port needs to be skipped due to unavoidable reasons, it must be done with strategic planning. Advanced tools can help plan the routes better and monitor the shipment in real-time. It leads to better route management and timely deliveries. Seeking assistance from renowned shipping companies such as Shiprocket CargoX can be helpful in this direction.