Hong Kong to Antwerp shipping route.

Hong Kong to Antwerp is a 9,795 nautical mile shipping route via Suez Canal, heading north west from Hong Kong to Belgium. That is 18,140 km of water against 9,373 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 34.0 days at 12 knots, 29.2 days at 14 knots and 22.7 days at 18 knots. Liner schedules on the lane quote 40 to 65 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 53 sailings by 5 carriers (CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, 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 13,129 nautical miles, 3,335 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.

2,333 nm of the route, 24% of it, lies inside North 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 HKHKG to BEANR start at $1,815 for a 20GP and $3,320 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 Antwerp (BEANR) 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 63 port to port routes from Hong Kong in this directory, Antwerp is the 50th shortest. Closer destinations include London Gateway (9,744 nm), Felixstowe (9,742 nm) and Cartagena (9,659 nm).