United States
DjiboutiLos Angeles to Djibouti shipping route.
10,644 nautical miles via Suez Canal, about 31.7 days of steaming at 14 knots. Avoiding the Red Sea adds 904 nm.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Los Angeles and Djibouti
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
Los AngelesStrait of Gibraltar · Bab-el-Mandeb · Panama Canal · Suez CanalDjiboutiShipping time from Los Angeles to Djibouti
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Suez Canal (shortest) | 10,644 nm | 37.0 d | 31.7 d | 24.6 d |
| via Strait of Malacca | 11,548 nm | 40.1 d | 34.4 d | 26.7 d |
Sea Route Distance Calculator
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Reverse: Djibouti to Los AngelesMany carriers still avoid the Red Sea. Routed via Strait of Malacca, Los Angeles to Djibouti is 11,548 nm, about 2.7 more days at 14 knots.
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About the Los Angeles to Djibouti shipping route
Los Angeles to Djibouti is a 10,644 nautical mile shipping route via Suez Canal, heading north east from the United States to Djibouti. That is 19,713 km of water against 14,609 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Panama Canal and Suez Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.
Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 31.7 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 37.0 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 24.6. 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 Los Angeles and Djibouti to plan the full ocean transit time.
The shortest route goes through the Red Sea. Since attacks on shipping began there in late 2023, many carriers send ships via Strait of Malacca instead. That route is 11,548 nautical miles, 904 more, and adds about 2.7 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.
2,136 nm of the route, 20% of it, lies inside North American ECA, US Caribbean 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.
Container freight rates on Los Angeles to Djibouti move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Djibouti (DJJIB) carriers give about 10 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 Los Angeles in this directory, Djibouti is the 61st shortest. Closer destinations include Mundra (10,616 nm), Nhava Sheva (10,282 nm) and Durban (10,272 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Los Angeles to Djibouti?
The port to port distance from Los Angeles to Djibouti is 10,644 nautical miles (19,713 km), via Suez Canal. The route passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb, Panama Canal, Suez Canal.
What is the shipping time from Los Angeles to Djibouti?
About 31.7 days at 14 knots and 24.6 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services add calls and transhipment.
What if the ship avoids the Red Sea?
Routed via Strait of Malacca, the voyage is 11,548 nm, 904 nm longer, about 34.4 days at 14 knots.
How much of the route is in an emission control area?
2,136 nm sit inside ECA waters (North American ECA, US Caribbean Sea ECA, Mediterranean Sea ECA), where ships burn 0.1% sulphur fuel.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Djibouti to Los Angeles has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- Los Angeles to Oakland385 nm
- Los Angeles to Seattle1,214 nm
- Los Angeles to
Vancouver1,235 nm - Los Angeles to
Manzanillo1,284 nm - Los Angeles to
Balboa2,974 nm - Los Angeles to
Cartagena3,301 nm 
Jeddah to Djibouti693 nm
Salalah to Djibouti742 nm
Port Said to Djibouti1,376 nm
Karachi to Djibouti1,601 nm
Jebel Ali to Djibouti1,675 nm
Mersin to Djibouti1,747 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.