Cartagena to Mersin shipping route.

Ships leaving Cartagena for Mersin head north east and cover a sea distance of 6,113 nautical miles (11,320 km), on a direct course. The straight line between the ports is 11,051 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar.

At sea, the voyage lasts 21.2 days at 12 knots, 18.2 days at 14 knots and 14.1 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 Cartagena and Mersin to plan the full ocean transit time.

1,995 nm of the route, 33% 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 Mersin move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Mersin (TRMER) 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, Mersin is the 32nd shortest. Closer destinations include Port Said (6,053 nm), Piraeus (5,577 nm) and Gdansk (5,446 nm).