Ho Chi Minh City to New York shipping route.

Ships leaving Ho Chi Minh City for New York head north and cover a sea distance of 10,813 nautical miles (20,026 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 14,284 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. 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.

Pure steaming time is 32.2 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 37.5 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 25.0. Liner schedules on the lane quote 32 to 38 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 12 sailings by 1 carrier (Hapag-Lloyd).

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 12,217 nautical miles, 1,404 more, and adds about 4.2 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.

2,777 nm of the route, 26% of it, lies inside North American 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 VNSGN to USNYC start at $5,839 for a 20GP ($7,548 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 New York (USNYC) 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, New York is the 60th shortest. Closer destinations include Cartagena (10,521 nm), Balboa (10,193 nm) and Buenos Aires (9,849 nm).