Djibouti to Lagos (Apapa) shipping route.

The shipping route from Djibouti, Djibouti to Lagos (Apapa), Nigeria covers 6,468 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 4,391 km apart, so the ship sails 2.73 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb and Suez Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 22.5 days at 12 knots, 19.3 days at 14 knots and 15.0 days at 18 knots. 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 Djibouti and Lagos (Apapa) to plan the full ocean transit time.

The shortest route goes through the Red Sea. Since attacks on shipping began there in late 2023, many carriers send ships via Cape of Good Hope instead. That route is 6,813 nautical miles, 345 more, and adds about 1.0 days at 14 knots. Longer voyages burn more fuel and tie up more ships, which is why freight rates on Red Sea lanes jumped when the diversions started.

1,935 nm of the route, 30% 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 Djibouti to Lagos (Apapa) move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Lagos (Apapa) (NGAPP) carriers give about 7 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 Djibouti in this directory, Lagos (Apapa) is the 45th shortest. Closer destinations include Dalian (6,393 nm), Incheon (6,377 nm) and Busan (6,308 nm).