Los Angeles to Santos shipping route.

Ships leaving Los Angeles for Santos head south east and cover a sea distance of 7,568 nautical miles (14,016 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 9,945 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.

At sea, the voyage lasts 26.3 days at 12 knots, 22.5 days at 14 knots and 17.5 days at 18 knots. 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 Santos to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 8,083 nautical miles, 515 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan 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 Santos move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Santos (BRSSZ) 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 65 port to port routes from Los Angeles in this directory, Santos is the 33rd shortest. Closer destinations include Buenos Aires (7,503 nm), Algeciras (7,365 nm) and Ho Chi Minh City (7,288 nm).