Ho Chi Minh City to Houston shipping route.

The shipping route from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Houston, United States covers 11,745 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 14,923 km apart, so the ship sails 1.46 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 35.0 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 40.8 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 27.2. Liner schedules on the lane quote 38 to 51 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 11 sailings by 3 carriers (HMM, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

The next option is via Suez Canal, 12,394 nautical miles, 649 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Suez Canal is congested or closed.

352 nm of the route, 3% of it, lies inside North American 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 VNSGN to USHOU start at $7,640 for a 20GP and $9,075 for a 40GP ($9,140 for a 40HC). These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. At Houston (USHOU) 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 65 port to port routes from Ho Chi Minh City in this directory, Houston is the 65th shortest. Closer destinations include Savannah (11,312 nm), Charleston (11,257 nm) and Montreal (10,908 nm).