Los Angeles to Valencia shipping route.

The shipping route from Los Angeles, United States to Valencia, Spain covers 7,749 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 9,678 km apart, so the ship sails 1.48 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar and Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 23.1 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 26.9 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 17.9. 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 Valencia to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 12,721 nautical miles, 4,972 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Gibraltar is congested or closed.

617 nm of the route, 8% 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 Valencia move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Valencia (ESVLC) 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, Valencia is the 35th shortest. Closer destinations include Le Havre (7,635 nm), Santos (7,568 nm) and Buenos Aires (7,503 nm).