Jeddah to Balboa shipping route.

The shipping route from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Balboa, Panama covers 7,010 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 12,526 km apart, so the ship sails 1.04 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Panama Canal and Strait of Gibraltar, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 20.9 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 24.3 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 16.2. 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 Jeddah and Balboa to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Cape of Good Hope, 11,260 nautical miles, 4,250 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Cape of Good Hope is congested or closed.

2,083 nm of the route, 30% of it, lies inside US Caribbean 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.

Container freight rates on Jeddah to Balboa move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Balboa (PABLB) 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 Jeddah in this directory, Balboa is the 51st shortest. Closer destinations include Dalian (7,004 nm), Incheon (6,989 nm) and Busan (6,920 nm).