How Monsoon Season Impacts Shipping in China: What to Know in 2025

Shanghai has been drenched in rain for days, and forecasts show more thunderstorms ahead. Now, with the first typhoon of the season, Typhoon Wutip, forming in the South China Sea, shippers are bracing for the first major test of the 2025 monsoon season.

If your cargo moves through China—especially via ports like Shanghai, Ningbo, or Shenzhen—the time to act is now. With China shipping delays already beginning to ripple across the network, understanding the risks and preparing your supply chain is critical.

When Is the Rainy Season in China?

China's rainy season—also known as the monsoon—typically spans from May to September, with the most intense rain and typhoon activity between June and August.

• Southern China (Guangdong, Guangxi): Early rains begin in May, often leading to flooding.

• Eastern China (Shanghai, Zhejiang): Monsoon overlaps with typhoon season, causing operational delays at major container ports.

• Northern China: Rain peaks in July and August, though the impact on shipping is usually less severe than in coastal regions.

Why This Year’s Rainy Season Matters

As of this week, Shanghai has seen several consecutive days of rain, with more on the way. At the same time, Typhoon Wutip is developing off the coast and is expected to bring strong winds and storm surges to southern China by the weekend.

Why is this a concern?

Because we’ve seen this before.

• In 2024, Typhoon Bebinca triggered widespread supply chain disruption—crane halts, container yard congestion, and berthing delays that reached up to 60 hours.

• In 2021, Typhoon In-fa caused the full shutdown of container ship docks in Shanghai and Ningbo, forcing more than 150 vessels to anchor offshore.

• And back in 2018, Tropical Storm Ampil made landfall directly in the Shanghai region, leading to the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people and the sheltering of tens of thousands of ships, grinding the entire logistics chain to a halt.

These events remind us that China typhoon activity can quickly spiral into large-scale logistics bottlenecks and port congestion.

What Shipping Disruptions Can You Expect?

During China’s rainy season, especially with an incoming typhoon, logistics disruptions can occur at multiple levels of the supply chain. Port terminals may halt crane operations due to safety concerns during high winds or heavy downpours, effectively stopping the loading and unloading of containers. This can lead to Shanghai port congestion and vessel queues, as ships are forced to anchor offshore while waiting for berths to become available. 

Inland transportation is also severely affected. Flooded roads, traffic accidents, and poor visibility often delay trucking services, resulting in missed delivery slots and cascading effects on warehouse operations. For time-sensitive or temperature-controlled cargo, these delays can lead to spoilage or penalties.

Cargo damage is another major risk. Inadequate packaging or exposure during transshipment can result in water-damaged goods—especially problematic for products like electronics, textiles, and food. Insurance claims and customs inspections may also be delayed, compounding the overall impact on your delivery schedule.

The result? Higher costs, missed deadlines, and widespread supply chain disruption—unless you’ve taken the right precautions ahead of time.

How to Prepare: Practical Tips for Shippers

The best defense is early preparation. Here's what you can do now:

Need urgent support or advice?

Right now, the combination of relentless rainfall in Shanghai and the arrival of Typhoon Wutip signals a high-risk window for international shipping. With increasing risks of Shanghai port congestion and widespread China shipping delays, being reactive is no longer enough.

You can’t control the weather—but you can control your preparedness. Make sure your logistics plan is rain-proof, storm-ready, and backed by a partner who knows how to navigate supply chain disruptions in China’s rainy season.

Our team is actively monitoring port conditions and weather alerts across China and other parts in Asia. Contact us today at info@yqn.com to minimize delays and protect your cargo.