Antwerp to Jebel Ali shipping route.

Antwerp to Jebel Ali is a 6,259 nautical mile shipping route via Suez Canal, heading east from Belgium to the United Arab Emirates. That is 11,592 km of water against 5,161 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Gibraltar and Strait of Hormuz, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 18.6 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 21.7 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 14.5. 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 Jebel Ali to plan the full ocean transit time.

The shortest route goes through the Red Sea. Since attacks on shipping began there in late 2023, many carriers send ships via Cape of Good Hope instead. That route is 11,042 nautical miles, 4,783 more, and adds about 14.2 days at 14 knots. Longer voyages burn more fuel and tie up more ships, which is why freight rates on Red Sea lanes jumped when the diversions started.

2,333 nm of the route, 37% 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 Jebel Ali move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Jebel Ali (AEJEA) carriers give about 4 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, Jebel Ali is the 27th shortest. Closer destinations include Callao (6,222 nm), Karachi (6,185 nm) and Santos (5,478 nm).