01/09/2026
First day of September — and we're already seeing the shift.
Compared to last week, cargo volumes from China to Europe are noticeably picking up. Rates are climbing. Space is tightening.
Earlier this week, we had a video call with several long-term clients from the Netherlands to map out their shipment schedules for September. They shared a rough timeline — we took it, built out our airfreight plan accordingly, and adjusted our block space agreements with carriers.
Added a few extra boards. Locked in the capacity early. And for each flight, we left 1-2 days of buffer — just in case the factory runs behind or something unexpected comes up.
We run daily departures from Shanghai to major European gateways — AMS, FRA, CDG, LGG, MXP. So we're in a good position to adapt quickly.
But here's what I'm curious about: why is the volume suddenly ramping up from September? Is it early Q4 stocking? Black Friday prep? Or something else I'm missing?
Would love to hear from my European colleagues — how's the market looking on your end? Are you seeing the same trend?
👇 Let me know in the comments.