Gdansk to Tokyo shipping route.

Ships leaving Gdansk for Tokyo head north east and cover a sea distance of 12,155 nautical miles (22,511 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,533 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. 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.

At sea, the voyage lasts 42.2 days at 12 knots, 36.2 days at 14 knots and 28.1 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 Gdansk and Tokyo 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 Panama Canal instead. That route is 13,365 nautical miles, 1,210 more, and adds about 3.6 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, 26% 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.

Container freight rates on Gdansk to Tokyo move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Tokyo (JPTYO) carriers give about 8 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, Tokyo is the 63rd shortest. Closer destinations include Yokohama (12,144 nm), Melbourne (12,007 nm) and Dalian (11,824 nm).