Port omission and blank sailing are both terms that refer to schedule exceptions. Schedule exceptions take place when a ship is unable to keep to its original schedule due to unforeseen occurrences, such as poor weather, port congestion, and technical issues.
PORT OMISSION
When a vessel operator decides to skip or omit a single port included in the Long-Term Schedule (LTS), it is referred to as a Port Omission. An LTS is based on the final Proforma Schedule and includes specific vessel and voyage numbers, that are published at least 12 weeks ahead of the start of an individual trip.
BLANK SAILING
Although ocean line service operators may decide to “blank” a particular port or region, when a partner in a Vessel Sharing Agreement (VSA) announces a blank sailing, typically they are referring to an entire voyage being canceled. When this occurs, the voyage number that was published in the LTS or Coastal Schedule (CS) is preserved for internal cost allocation and reporting. All port calls that were planned on the journey are “blanked.”
Stay up-to-date on freight news with Green’s Weekly Freight Market Update by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For continuous updates, make sure to check out our website at greenworldwide.com.
