South Africa
AustraliaCape Town to Melbourne shipping route.
6,028 nautical miles via Cape of Good Hope, about 17.9 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Cape Town and Melbourne
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
Cape TownCape of Good HopeMelbourneShipping time from Cape Town to Melbourne
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Cape of Good Hope (shortest) | 6,028 nm | 20.9 d | 17.9 d | 14.0 d |
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About the Cape Town to Melbourne shipping route
Cape Town to Melbourne is a 6,028 nautical mile shipping route via Cape of Good Hope, heading south east from South Africa to Australia. That is 11,164 km of water against 10,309 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Cape of Good Hope.
At sea, the voyage lasts 20.9 days at 12 knots, 17.9 days at 14 knots and 14.0 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 Cape Town and Melbourne to plan the full ocean transit time.
Container freight rates on Cape Town 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 Cape Town in this directory, Melbourne is the 22nd shortest. Closer destinations include Mersin (5,891 nm), Barcelona (5,767 nm) and Singapore (5,713 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Cape Town to Melbourne?
The port to port distance from Cape Town to Melbourne is 6,028 nautical miles (11,164 km), via Cape of Good Hope. The route passes Cape of Good Hope.
What is the shipping time from Cape Town to Melbourne?
About 17.9 days at 14 knots and 14.0 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services add calls and transhipment.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Melbourne to Cape Town has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- Cape Town to Durban875 nm
- Cape Town to
Lagos (Apapa)2,619 nm - Cape Town to
Mombasa2,631 nm - Cape Town to
Santos3,508 nm - Cape Town to
Buenos Aires3,846 nm - Cape Town to
Salalah4,010 nm - Sydney to Melbourne596 nm
Auckland to Melbourne1,683 nm
Tanjung Priok to Melbourne3,475 nm
Singapore to Melbourne3,936 nm
Port Klang to Melbourne4,193 nm
Manila to Melbourne4,495 nm
How we count: sea routes follow shipping lanes and canals, time is pure steaming at 14 knots without port calls. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all sea distance between ports or the Shipping Routes Directory.