Charleston to Seattle shipping route.

Ships leaving Charleston for Seattle head north west and cover a sea distance of 5,795 nautical miles (10,733 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 3,900 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. 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 17.3 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 20.1 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 13.4. 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 Seattle to plan the full ocean transit time.

1,634 nm of the route, 28% 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 Seattle move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Seattle (USSEA) carriers give about 3.94 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, Seattle is the 29th shortest. Closer destinations include Mersin (5,615 nm), Port Said (5,556 nm) and Lagos (Apapa) (5,265 nm).