London Gateway to Ho Chi Minh City shipping route.

London Gateway to Ho Chi Minh City is a 8,940 nautical mile shipping route via Suez Canal, heading east from the United Kingdom to Vietnam. That is 16,556 km of water against 10,162 km as the crow flies. 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 26.6 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 31.0 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 20.7. Liner schedules on the lane quote 19 to 30 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 2 sailings by 1 carrier (Maersk).

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 12,383 nautical miles, 3,444 more, and adds about 10.2 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.

2,286 nm of the route, 26% 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 GBLGP to VNSGN start at $1,755 for a 20GP and $3,065 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 Ho Chi Minh City (VNSGN) 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 London Gateway in this directory, Ho Chi Minh City is the 41st shortest. Closer destinations include Tanjung Priok (8,588 nm), Singapore (8,311 nm) and Oakland (8,143 nm).