South Africa
JapanCape Town to Tokyo shipping route.
8,463 nautical miles via Cape of Good Hope, about 25.2 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Cape Town and Tokyo
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
Cape TownCape of Good Hope · Sunda StraitTokyoShipping time from Cape Town to Tokyo
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Cape of Good Hope (shortest) | 8,463 nm | 29.4 d | 25.2 d | 19.6 d |
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About the Cape Town to Tokyo shipping route
The shipping route from Cape Town, South Africa to Tokyo, Japan covers 8,463 nautical miles port to port, via Cape of Good Hope. On a globe the two ports sit 14,739 km apart, so the ship sails 1.06 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Cape of Good Hope and Sunda Strait.
At sea, the voyage lasts 29.4 days at 12 knots, 25.2 days at 14 knots and 19.6 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 Tokyo to plan the full ocean transit time.
Container freight rates on Cape Town to Tokyo move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Tokyo (JPTYO) 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, Tokyo is the 61st shortest. Closer destinations include Yokohama (8,452 nm), Manzanillo (8,273 nm) and Dalian (8,160 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Cape Town to Tokyo?
The port to port distance from Cape Town to Tokyo is 8,463 nautical miles (15,673 km), via Cape of Good Hope. The route passes Cape of Good Hope, Sunda Strait.
What is the shipping time from Cape Town to Tokyo?
About 25.2 days at 14 knots and 19.6 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 Tokyo 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 
Busan to Tokyo669 nm
Shanghai to Tokyo1,042 nm- Incheon to Tokyo1,067 nm
- Ningbo to Tokyo1,075 nm
- Qingdao to Tokyo1,113 nm
- Dalian to Tokyo1,176 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.