Colombo to Algeciras shipping route.

Colombo to Algeciras is a 5,450 nautical mile shipping route via Suez Canal, heading north west from Sri Lanka to Spain. That is 10,094 km of water against 9,132 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Gibraltar, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 16.2 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 18.9 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 12.6. 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 Colombo and Algeciras to plan the full ocean transit time.

Red Sea security changes the sea distance on this lane. A ship sent via Cape of Good Hope sails 9,665 nm instead of 5,450 nm and spends roughly 12.6 extra days at sea. Ask your forwarder which routing the carrier uses: the booking price and the arrival date both depend on it.

1,925 nm of the route, 35% 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 Colombo to Algeciras move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Algeciras (ESALG) 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 65 port to port routes from Colombo in this directory, Algeciras is the 39th shortest. Closer destinations include Sydney (5,365 nm), Valencia (5,193 nm) and Barcelona (5,116 nm).