Manila to Marsaxlokk shipping route.

Manila to Marsaxlokk is a 7,381 nautical mile shipping route via Suez Canal, heading north west from the Philippines to Malta. That is 13,669 km of water against 10,481 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Malacca, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 25.6 days at 12 knots, 22.0 days at 14 knots and 17.1 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 Manila and Marsaxlokk 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 Cape of Good Hope instead. That route is 12,853 nautical miles, 5,473 more, and adds about 16.3 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.

952 nm of the route, 13% of it, lies inside 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 Manila to Marsaxlokk move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Marsaxlokk (MTMAR) 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 Manila in this directory, Marsaxlokk is the 40th shortest. Closer destinations include Piraeus (7,026 nm), Mersin (6,800 nm) and Cape Town (6,791 nm).