Algeciras to Melbourne shipping route.

Ships leaving Algeciras for Melbourne head east and cover a sea distance of 9,796 nautical miles (18,141 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 17,389 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb and Suez Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 34.0 days at 12 knots, 29.2 days at 14 knots and 22.7 days at 18 knots. Container transit time on a liner service is longer than the steaming time: ships call at other ports on the rotation, and cargo may transship at a hub. Add terminal time at Algeciras and Melbourne to plan the full ocean transit time.

Red Sea security changes the sea distance on this lane. A ship sent via Cape of Good Hope sails 11,111 nm instead of 9,796 nm and spends roughly 3.9 extra days at sea. Ask your forwarder which routing the carrier uses: the booking price and the arrival date both depend on it.

1,925 nm of the route, 20% of it, lies inside Mediterranean Sea ECA. In an emission control area ships must burn fuel with no more than 0.1% sulphur or clean the exhaust with scrubbers. That fuel costs more, and carriers add it to the ocean freight bill as a low sulphur or ECA surcharge.

Container freight rates on Algeciras to Melbourne move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Melbourne (AUMEL) carriers give about 8 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 65 port to port routes from Algeciras in this directory, Melbourne is the 61st shortest. Closer destinations include Dalian (9,613 nm), Incheon (9,597 nm) and Busan (9,528 nm).