Hong Kong to Hamburg shipping route.

Ships leaving Hong Kong for Hamburg head north west and cover a sea distance of 10,067 nautical miles (18,644 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,917 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca and Strait of Gibraltar, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 30.0 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 35.0 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 23.3. Liner schedules on the lane quote 35 to 65 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 59 sailings by 6 carriers (CMA CGM, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk and ONE).

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 13,402 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.

2,599 nm of the route, 26% 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 DEHAM start at $1,891 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 Hamburg (DEHAM) carriers give about 3.83 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, Hamburg is the 54th shortest. Closer destinations include Bremerhaven (10,021 nm), Callao (10,008 nm) and Rotterdam (9,814 nm).