Gdansk to Hong Kong shipping route.

Gdansk to Hong Kong is a 10,642 nautical mile shipping route via Suez Canal, heading east from Poland to Hong Kong. That is 19,709 km of water against 8,353 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca and Strait of Gibraltar, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 31.7 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 37.0 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 24.6. Liner schedules on the lane quote 47 to 60 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 10 sailings by 4 carriers (CMA CGM, Evergreen, Maersk and OOCL).

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 13,977 nautical miles, 3,335 more, and adds about 9.9 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.

3,185 nm of the route, 30% of it, lies inside North Sea ECA, Baltic Sea ECA and 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.

Recent freight rates for PLGDN to HKHKG start at $1,700 for a 20GP and $3,090 for a 40GP. These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. At Hong Kong (HKHKG) carriers give about 5 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 Gdansk in this directory, Hong Kong is the 51st shortest. Closer destinations include Manila (10,566 nm), Haiphong (10,522 nm) and Laem Chabang (10,006 nm).