Hamburg to Los Angeles shipping route.

Hamburg to Los Angeles is a 8,082 nautical mile shipping route via Panama Canal, heading north west from Germany to the United States. That is 14,967 km of water against 9,109 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 28.1 days at 12 knots, 24.1 days at 14 knots and 18.7 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 Hamburg and Los Angeles to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 13,602 nautical miles, 5,520 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

809 nm of the route, 10% of it, lies inside North American ECA, US Caribbean Sea ECA and North 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 Hamburg to Los Angeles move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Los Angeles (USLAX) carriers give about 4 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 64 port to port routes from Hamburg in this directory, Los Angeles is the 39th shortest. Closer destinations include Durban (7,284 nm), Colombo (7,087 nm) and Manzanillo (6,797 nm).