Houston to Ningbo shipping route.

The shipping route from Houston, United States to Ningbo, China covers 10,259 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 12,322 km apart, so the ship sails 1.54 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 30.5 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 35.6 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 23.7. Liner schedules on the lane quote 17 to 40 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 97 sailings by 10 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

The next option is via Suez Canal, 13,859 nautical miles, 3,600 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 USHOU to CNNGB start at $7,180 for a 20GP and $8,350 for a 40GP ($7,800 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 Ningbo (CNNGB) carriers give about 7 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 Houston in this directory, Ningbo is the 53rd shortest. Closer destinations include Colombo (10,218 nm), Qingdao (10,218 nm) and Shanghai (10,206 nm).