Laem Chabang to Gdansk shipping route.

Ships leaving Laem Chabang for Gdansk head north west and cover a sea distance of 10,006 nautical miles (18,531 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,326 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 29.8 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 34.7 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 23.2. Liner schedules on the lane quote 35 to 58 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 22 sailings by 3 carriers (CMA CGM, MSC and OOCL).

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 13,450 nautical miles, 3,444 more, and adds about 10.3 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.

3,185 nm of the route, 32% of it, lies inside North Sea ECA, Baltic 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 THLCH to PLGDN start at $2,360 for a 20GP and $3,677 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 Gdansk (PLGDN) carriers give about 7.5 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, Gdansk is the 56th shortest. Closer destinations include Santos (9,813 nm), Gothenburg (9,610 nm) and Hamburg (9,431 nm).