Le Havre to Laem Chabang shipping route.

The shipping route from Le Havre, France to Laem Chabang, Thailand covers 8,980 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 9,665 km apart, so the ship sails 1.72 times the straight line distance. 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 26.7 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 31.2 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 20.8. Liner schedules on the lane quote 33 to 54 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 46 sailings by 4 carriers (CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE 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 12,423 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.

2,159 nm of the route, 24% of it, lies inside North 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 FRLEH to THLCH start at $2,207 for a 20GP and $3,177 for a 40GP ($2,619 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 Laem Chabang (THLCH) carriers give about 5 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 61 port to port routes from Le Havre in this directory, Laem Chabang is the 44th shortest. Closer destinations include Vancouver (8,870 nm), Seattle (8,849 nm) and Ho Chi Minh City (8,812 nm).