Manila to Houston shipping route.

Manila to Houston is a 11,045 nautical mile shipping route via Panama Canal, heading north east from the Philippines to the United States. That is 20,456 km of water against 13,734 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes 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 32.9 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 38.4 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 25.6. 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 Manila and Houston to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Suez Canal, 13,122 nautical miles, 2,077 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Gibraltar is congested or closed.

352 nm of the route, 3% 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 Manila to Houston move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Houston (USHOU) 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 65 port to port routes from Manila in this directory, Houston is the 61st shortest. Closer destinations include Gdansk (10,566 nm), Buenos Aires (10,343 nm) and Gothenburg (10,170 nm).