Jebel Ali to Mersin shipping route.

Ships leaving Jebel Ali for Mersin head north west and cover a sea distance of 3,341 nautical miles (6,187 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 2,340 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 9.9 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 11.6 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 7.7. Container transit time on a liner service is longer than the steaming time: ships call at other ports on the rotation, and cargo may transship at a hub. Add terminal time at Jebel Ali and Mersin to plan the full ocean transit time.

371 nm of the route, 11% of it, lies inside 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.

Container freight rates on Jebel Ali to Mersin move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Mersin (TRMER) 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 Jebel Ali in this directory, Mersin is the 11th shortest. Closer destinations include Port Klang (3,318 nm), Port Said (2,970 nm) and Mombasa (2,485 nm).