South Africa
AustraliaCape Town to Sydney shipping route.
6,523 nautical miles via Cape of Good Hope, about 19.4 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Cape Town and Sydney
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
Cape TownCape of Good HopeSydneyShipping time from Cape Town to Sydney
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Cape of Good Hope (shortest) | 6,523 nm | 22.6 d | 19.4 d | 15.1 d |
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About the Cape Town to Sydney shipping route
Cape Town to Sydney is a 6,523 nautical mile shipping route via Cape of Good Hope, heading south east from South Africa to Australia. That is 12,081 km of water against 11,008 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Cape of Good Hope.
At sea, the voyage lasts 22.6 days at 12 knots, 19.4 days at 14 knots and 15.1 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 Sydney to plan the full ocean transit time.
Container freight rates on Cape Town to Sydney move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Sydney (AUSYD) 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, Sydney is the 34th shortest. Closer destinations include Laem Chabang (6,465 nm), Rotterdam (6,317 nm) and Cartagena (6,313 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Cape Town to Sydney?
The port to port distance from Cape Town to Sydney is 6,523 nautical miles (12,081 km), via Cape of Good Hope. The route passes Cape of Good Hope.
What is the shipping time from Cape Town to Sydney?
About 19.4 days at 14 knots and 15.1 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 Sydney 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 - Melbourne to Sydney596 nm
Auckland to Sydney1,284 nm
Tanjung Priok to Sydney3,932 nm
Manila to Sydney3,938 nm
Singapore to Sydney4,223 nm
Kaohsiung to Sydney4,356 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.