Cartagena to Jeddah shipping route.

The shipping route from Cartagena, Colombia to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia covers 6,769 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 12,059 km apart, so the ship sails 1.04 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal and Strait of Gibraltar, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 23.5 days at 12 knots, 20.1 days at 14 knots and 15.7 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 Cartagena and Jeddah to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Cape of Good Hope, 10,989 nautical miles, 4,220 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Cape of Good Hope is congested or closed.

1,935 nm of the route, 29% of it, lies inside Mediterranean Sea ECA. In an emission control area ships must burn fuel with no more than 0.1% sulphur or clean the exhaust with scrubbers. That fuel costs more, and carriers add it to the ocean freight bill as a low sulphur or ECA surcharge.

Container freight rates on Cartagena to Jeddah move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Jeddah (SAJED) carriers give about 7 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 Cartagena in this directory, Jeddah is the 34th shortest. Closer destinations include Cape Town (6,313 nm), Mersin (6,113 nm) and Port Said (6,053 nm).