Genoa to Hong Kong shipping route.

The shipping route from Genoa, Italy to Hong Kong covers 7,944 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 9,423 km apart, so the ship sails 1.56 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Malacca, 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 23.6 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 27.6 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 18.4. Liner schedules on the lane quote 25 to 259 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 64 sailings by 6 carriers (CMA CGM, Evergreen, Maersk, ONE 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 12,930 nautical miles, 4,986 more, and adds about 14.8 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.

1,439 nm of the route, 18% 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.

Recent freight rates for ITGOA to HKHKG start at $2,805 for a 20GP and $3,580 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 Genoa in this directory, Hong Kong is the 47th shortest. Closer destinations include Manila (7,868 nm), Haiphong (7,825 nm) and Laem Chabang (7,308 nm).