Bremerhaven to Jebel Ali shipping route.

The shipping route from Bremerhaven, Germany to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates covers 6,485 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 4,969 km apart, so the ship sails 2.42 times the straight line distance. 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.

At sea, the voyage lasts 22.5 days at 12 knots, 19.3 days at 14 knots and 15.0 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 Bremerhaven 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 11,268 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.

2,564 nm of the route, 40% 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 Bremerhaven 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 63 port to port routes from Bremerhaven in this directory, Jebel Ali is the 29th shortest. Closer destinations include Callao (6,448 nm), Karachi (6,411 nm) and Santos (5,704 nm).