Preparing for supply chain disruptions during Lunar New Year 2026
For global shippers, Lunar New Year is often the single biggest disruptor to their supply chains. While the holiday (also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival) brings celebration across many countries, such as China, Korea and Vietnam, it can cause complications for businesses that rely on factories in Asia.
In 2026, the holiday starts on Tuesday, February 17, marking the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, and lasts an entire week. However, the impact can be felt long before and after the event. With some strategic planning, shippers can mitigate the effects of this holiday on their businesses.
When is Lunar New Year 2026? Key dates to know
Industries and companies that rely on Asian manufacturing should expect ripple effects that extend well beyond the holiday week, as workers travel, factories close, and manufacturing and transportation come to a pause. Keep these dates in mind as you plan:
Official holiday: February 17-23, 2026
Factory closures: Typically 2-4 weeks, starting around early-to-mid-February
Supply chain disruption window: Late January through mid-March
Possible issues during Lunar New Year
This is a popular time for family reunions and celebrations, marked by so much travel that this timeframe has its own name: Chunyun, meaning “Spring transportation.” It’s the largest annual human migration in the world. With so many people taking time off work to travel and see family, the impact on logistics is unavoidable.
Surge in demand before
In the weeks leading up to February 17, experienced shippers will rush to move goods before factories close, likely causing tight capacity across ocean and air freight. This can lead to challenges in booking shipments or higher rates due to the increased demand.
Longer lead times
After factories reopen, it can take time for production to ramp back up. Industries such as electronics, apparel, automotive and consumer goods may see lead times stretching into mid-March, impacting fulfillment and causing downstream effects throughout their supply chain.
Shipping delays
Because of increased demand before and bottlenecks after, ports usually experience heavy congestion during this season. As shipments pile up around the holiday, you could see considerable time added to transit estimates as shipments wait to leave the ports.
Ways to reduce risks around the holiday
Place orders early. Work with your supplier to fulfill orders ahead of the Lunar New Year rush.
Build an inventory buffer. For any top-selling products or critical components, work to create a stockpile so you aren’t in a bind. Strategic warehousing can be beneficial if you don’t have the space to store additional products to accommodate seasonal fluctuations.
Book shipments far in advance. If you know you have shipments that need to travel before or after the holiday shutdown, talk with your logistics provider early to make arrangements.
Split shipments. Reduce the risk of delayed items by splitting them into multiple shipments, allowing some items to continue moving while others are held up due to congestion.
Use air freight. Consider using international air to move urgent goods and bypass port congestion.
Partner with ArcBest to navigate the Lunar New Year
Without proper planning, Lunar New Year can drastically slow down your business. But with help from the right partner, your business can stay on track. ArcBest offers the expertise and solutions to help you prepare for Lunar New Year 2026 and any other potential supply chain disruptions.
