Charleston to Dalian shipping route.

The shipping route from Charleston, United States to Dalian, China covers 10,337 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 11,738 km apart, so the ship sails 1.63 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 30.8 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 35.9 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 23.9. Liner schedules on the lane quote 31 to 162 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 44 sailings by 6 carriers (CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, MSC and ONE).

The next option is via Suez Canal, 13,243 nautical miles, 2,907 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Gibraltar is congested or closed.

367 nm of the route, 4% of it, lies inside North American 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.

Recent freight rates for USCHS to CNDLC start at $6,955 for a 20GP and $8,425 for a 40GP ($8,475 for a 40HC). These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. At Dalian (CNDLC) 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 64 port to port routes from Charleston in this directory, Dalian is the 53rd shortest. Closer destinations include Ningbo (10,314 nm), Qingdao (10,274 nm) and Shanghai (10,262 nm).