Colombo to Marsaxlokk shipping route.

Ships leaving Colombo for Marsaxlokk head north west and cover a sea distance of 4,477 nautical miles (8,291 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 7,338 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb, 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 13.3 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 15.5 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 10.4. 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 Colombo and Marsaxlokk to plan the full ocean transit time.

952 nm of the route, 21% 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 Marsaxlokk move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Marsaxlokk (MTMAR) 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, Marsaxlokk is the 30th shortest. Closer destinations include Dalian (4,220 nm), Incheon (4,205 nm) and Busan (4,136 nm).