Antwerp to Djibouti shipping route.

Ships leaving Antwerp for Djibouti head south east and cover a sea distance of 4,666 nautical miles (8,641 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 5,623 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 16.2 days at 12 knots, 13.9 days at 14 knots and 10.8 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 Antwerp and Djibouti to plan the full ocean transit time.

2,333 nm of the route, 50% of it, lies inside North Sea ECA and 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 Antwerp to Djibouti move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Djibouti (DJJIB) carriers give about 10 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 61 port to port routes from Antwerp in this directory, Djibouti is the 19th shortest. Closer destinations include Lagos (Apapa) (4,243 nm), Jeddah (4,005 nm) and Savannah (3,846 nm).