United StatesUnited StatesCharleston to Houston shipping route.
1,401 nautical miles direct, about 4.2 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Charleston and Houston
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
CharlestonSeaHoustonShipping time from Charleston to Houston
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| direct (shortest) | 1,401 nm | 4.9 d | 4.2 d | 3.2 d |
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About the Charleston to Houston shipping route
The shipping route from Charleston, United States to Houston, United States covers 1,401 nautical miles port to port, on a direct course. On a globe the two ports sit 1,497 km apart, so the ship sails 1.73 times the straight line distance. No canals on this leg, the extra miles come from sailing around headlands and islands.
Pure steaming time is 4.2 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 4.9 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 3.2. 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 Charleston and Houston to plan the full ocean transit time.
1,191 nm of the route, 85% 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.
Container freight rates on Charleston to Houston move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Houston (USHOU) carriers give about 4 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, Houston is the 2nd shortest. Closer destinations include New York (644 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Charleston to Houston?
The port to port distance from Charleston to Houston is 1,401 nautical miles (2,594 km), direct.
What is the shipping time from Charleston to Houston?
About 4.2 days at 14 knots and 3.2 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services add calls and transhipment.
How much of the route is in an emission control area?
1,191 nm sit inside ECA waters (North American ECA), where ships burn 0.1% sulphur fuel.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Houston to Charleston has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- Charleston to New York644 nm
- Charleston to
Balboa1,608 nm - Charleston to
Cartagena1,820 nm - Charleston to
Montreal2,046 nm - Charleston to
Callao2,994 nm - Charleston to
Manzanillo3,297 nm - Savannah to Houston1,370 nm
- Balboa to Houston1,552 nm
- Cartagena to Houston1,765 nm
- New York to Houston1,921 nm
- Callao to Houston2,939 nm
- Manzanillo to Houston3,242 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.