South Africa
KenyaCape Town to Mombasa shipping route.
2,631 nautical miles via Cape of Good Hope, about 7.8 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Cape Town and Mombasa
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
Cape TownCape of Good HopeMombasaShipping time from Cape Town to Mombasa
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Cape of Good Hope (shortest) | 2,631 nm | 9.1 d | 7.8 d | 6.1 d |
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About the Cape Town to Mombasa shipping route
Cape Town to Mombasa is a 2,631 nautical mile shipping route via Cape of Good Hope, heading north east from South Africa to Kenya. That is 4,873 km of water against 3,983 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Cape of Good Hope.
Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 7.8 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 9.1 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 6.1. 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 Mombasa to plan the full ocean transit time.
Container freight rates on Cape Town to Mombasa move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one.
Of the 65 port to port routes from Cape Town in this directory, Mombasa is the 3rd shortest. Closer destinations include Lagos (Apapa) (2,619 nm) and Durban (875 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Cape Town to Mombasa?
The port to port distance from Cape Town to Mombasa is 2,631 nautical miles (4,873 km), via Cape of Good Hope. The route passes Cape of Good Hope.
What is the shipping time from Cape Town to Mombasa?
About 7.8 days at 14 knots and 6.1 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 Mombasa 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
Santos3,508 nm - Cape Town to
Buenos Aires3,846 nm - Cape Town to
Salalah4,010 nm - Cape Town to
Djibouti4,225 nm - Salalah to Mombasa1,590 nm
- Durban to Mombasa1,759 nm
- Djibouti to Mombasa1,805 nm
Karachi to Mombasa2,411 nm
Jeddah to Mombasa2,417 nm
Nhava Sheva to Mombasa2,462 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.