According to SEKO Logistics, China National Day Golden Week 2026 runs 1-7 October, with Mid-Autumn Festival separately on 25-27 September. Adjusted working days fall on 20 September and 10 October. Because the two holidays sit close together, production, export handovers and documentation compress into a narrow late-September window, especially 28-30 September.
SEKO notes that factories, warehouses, trucking and documentation support often slow or close during Golden Week even when major ports keep limited operations. The firm cites blank sailings and port omissions on Far East Asia-Europe and Mediterranean trades across Weeks 39-43, estimating roughly 193,000 TEU of confirmed blank sailings from major alliances plus further operational impact near 283,000 TEU when key Shanghai omissions are included, with Week 41 expected to be the most constrained.
Practical steps for buyers: book priority ocean space 4-6 weeks ahead where possible, finish commercial invoices and packing lists before the final September window, reserve air freight only for launch-critical SKUs, and plan for backlog clearance into about 8-16 October after operations restart.