Bremerhaven to Manzanillo shipping route.

Ships leaving Bremerhaven for Manzanillo head north west and cover a sea distance of 6,751 nautical miles (12,503 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 9,727 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 20.1 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 23.4 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 15.6. 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 Manzanillo to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 12,545 nautical miles, 5,794 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

721 nm of the route, 11% of it, lies inside US Caribbean Sea ECA and North 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 Manzanillo move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Manzanillo (MXZLO) carriers give about 7 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, Manzanillo is the 35th shortest. Closer destinations include Mombasa (6,616 nm), Buenos Aires (6,594 nm) and Nhava Sheva (6,585 nm).