Laem Chabang to Barcelona shipping route.

The shipping route from Laem Chabang, Thailand to Barcelona, Spain covers 7,460 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 9,761 km apart, so the ship sails 1.42 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Malacca, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 22.2 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 25.9 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 17.3. Liner schedules on the lane quote 29 to 56 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 55 sailings by 4 carriers (CMA CGM, ONE, OOCL and ZIM).

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 12,071 nautical miles, 4,611 more, and adds about 13.7 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.

1,591 nm of the route, 21% 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.

Recent freight rates for THLCH to ESBCN start at $2,775 for a 20GP and $4,490 for a 40GP ($3,550 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 Barcelona (ESBCN) carriers give about 6 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 Laem Chabang in this directory, Barcelona is the 40th shortest. Closer destinations include Genoa (7,308 nm), Vancouver (7,243 nm) and Seattle (7,221 nm).