Le Havre to Los Angeles shipping route.

Ships leaving Le Havre for Los Angeles head north west and cover a sea distance of 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,951 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 22.7 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 26.5 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 17.7. 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 Le Havre and Los Angeles to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 13,150 nautical miles, 5,515 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

374 nm of the route, 5% of it, lies inside North American ECA, US Caribbean Sea ECA and North 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 Le Havre to Los Angeles move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Los Angeles (USLAX) carriers give about 4 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, Los Angeles is the 36th shortest. Closer destinations include Durban (6,833 nm), Colombo (6,636 nm) and Manzanillo (6,351 nm).