South Africa
ChinaCape Town to Shanghai shipping route.
7,752 nautical miles via Cape of Good Hope, about 23.1 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Cape Town and Shanghai
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
Cape TownCape of Good Hope · Sunda StraitShanghaiShipping time from Cape Town to Shanghai
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Cape of Good Hope (shortest) | 7,752 nm | 26.9 d | 23.1 d | 17.9 d |
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Live numbers for this lane from Navo apps, updated 2026-10-31.
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About the Cape Town to Shanghai shipping route
Ships leaving Cape Town for Shanghai head east and cover a sea distance of 7,752 nautical miles (14,357 km), via Cape of Good Hope. The straight line between the ports is 12,989 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Cape of Good Hope and Sunda Strait.
Pure steaming time is 23.1 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 26.9 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 17.9. Liner schedules on the lane quote 28 to 45 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 29 sailings by 7 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, MSC, ONE and OOCL).
Recent freight rates for ZACPT to CNSHA start at $3,820 for a 20GP and $5,310 for a 40GP. These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. At Shanghai (CNSHA) carriers give about 6 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, Shanghai is the 54th shortest. Closer destinations include Ningbo (7,638 nm), Houston (7,610 nm) and Auckland (7,472 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Cape Town to Shanghai?
The port to port distance from Cape Town to Shanghai is 7,752 nautical miles (14,357 km), via Cape of Good Hope. The route passes Cape of Good Hope, Sunda Strait.
What is the shipping time from Cape Town to Shanghai?
About 23.1 days at 14 knots and 17.9 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services on this lane quote 28 to 45 days.
What are freight rates from Cape Town to Shanghai?
Recent spot rates for ZACPT to CNSHA start at $3,820 per 20GP and $5,310 per 40GP, before local charges. Rates change weekly.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Shanghai 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 - Qingdao to Shanghai410 nm
Busan to Shanghai469 nm- Incheon to Shanghai538 nm
- Dalian to Shanghai553 nm
- Xiamen to Shanghai589 nm
Kaohsiung to Shanghai635 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.