Los Angeles to Durban shipping route.

Ships leaving Los Angeles for Durban head east and cover a sea distance of 10,272 nautical miles (19,023 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 17,093 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Cape of Good Hope and Panama 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 30.6 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 35.7 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 23.8. 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 Durban to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 10,616 nautical miles, 344 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Cape of Good Hope is congested or closed.

53 nm of the route, 1% of it, lies inside North American 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 Durban move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Durban (ZADUR) carriers give about 3 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, Durban is the 58th shortest. Closer destinations include Jeddah (9,984 nm), Cape Town (9,557 nm) and Colombo (9,376 nm).