Gdansk to Xiamen shipping route.

Gdansk to Xiamen is a 10,867 nautical mile shipping route via Suez Canal, heading east from Poland to China. That is 20,126 km of water against 8,400 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca and Suez Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 37.7 days at 12 knots, 32.3 days at 14 knots and 25.2 days at 18 knots. Liner schedules on the lane quote 37 to 61 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 26 sailings by 6 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Maersk and MSC).

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 14,187 nautical miles, 3,320 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, 29% 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 CNXMN start at $1,965 for a 20GP and $3,045 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 Xiamen (CNXMN) 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 Gdansk in this directory, Xiamen is the 53rd shortest. Closer destinations include Yantian (10,663 nm), Hong Kong (10,642 nm) and Manila (10,566 nm).