France
ChinaLe Havre to Xiamen shipping route.
9,841 nautical miles via Suez Canal, about 29.3 days of steaming at 14 knots. Avoiding the Red Sea adds 3,320 nm.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Le Havre and Xiamen
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
Le HavreStrait of Gibraltar · Bab-el-Mandeb · Strait of Malacca · Suez CanalXiamenShipping time from Le Havre to Xiamen
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Suez Canal (shortest) | 9,841 nm | 34.2 d | 29.3 d | 22.8 d |
| via Sunda Strait | 10,410 nm | 36.1 d | 31.0 d | 24.1 d |
| via Cape of Good Hope | 13,161 nm | 45.7 d | 39.2 d | 30.5 d |
Sea Route Distance Calculator
Open this exact route in Navo Distance: change speed, add legs, compare Suez and Cape routings, see the full map.
Reverse: Xiamen to Le HavreMany carriers still avoid the Red Sea. Routed via Cape of Good Hope, Le Havre to Xiamen is 13,161 nm, about 9.9 more days at 14 knots.
Ship Le Havre to Xiamen with Navo
Live numbers for this lane from Navo apps, updated 2026-10-31.
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About the Le Havre to Xiamen shipping route
Ships leaving Le Havre for Xiamen head north east and cover a sea distance of 9,841 nautical miles (18,225 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 9,771 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca and Suez Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.
Pure steaming time is 29.3 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 34.2 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 22.8. Liner schedules on the lane quote 30 to 71 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 62 sailings by 7 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk and MSC).
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 13,161 nautical miles, 3,320 more, and adds about 9.9 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, 22% 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 CNXMN start at $1,800 for a 20GP and $3,000 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 Xiamen (CNXMN) 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 61 port to port routes from Le Havre in this directory, Xiamen is the 49th shortest. Closer destinations include Yantian (9,637 nm), Hong Kong (9,616 nm) and Manila (9,540 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Le Havre to Xiamen?
The port to port distance from Le Havre to Xiamen is 9,841 nautical miles (18,225 km), via Suez Canal. The route passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca, Suez Canal.
What is the shipping time from Le Havre to Xiamen?
About 29.3 days at 14 knots and 22.8 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services on this lane quote 30 to 71 days.
What if the ship avoids the Red Sea?
Routed via Cape of Good Hope, the voyage is 13,161 nm, 3,320 nm longer, about 39.2 days at 14 knots.
What are freight rates from Le Havre to Xiamen?
Recent spot rates for FRLEH to CNXMN start at $1,800 per 20GP and $3,000 per 40GP, before local charges. Rates change weekly.
How much of the route is in an emission control area?
2,159 nm sit inside ECA waters (North Sea ECA, Mediterranean Sea ECA), where ships burn 0.1% sulphur fuel.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Xiamen to Le Havre has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- Le Havre to
Bremerhaven454 nm - Le Havre to Hamburg500 nm
- Le Havre to
Gothenburg679 nm - Le Havre to
Gdansk1,075 nm - Le Havre to
Algeciras1,207 nm - Le Havre to Valencia1,591 nm
- Ningbo to Xiamen475 nm
- Shanghai to Xiamen589 nm
Manila to Xiamen709 nm
Haiphong to Xiamen816 nm- Qingdao to Xiamen853 nm
Busan to Xiamen912 nm
How we count: sea routes follow shipping lanes and canals, time is pure steaming at 14 knots without port calls. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all sea distance between ports or the Shipping Routes Directory.