Mersin to Busan shipping route.

Ships leaving Mersin for Busan head north east and cover a sea distance of 7,974 nautical miles (14,768 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,107 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. 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.

Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 23.7 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 27.7 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 18.5. 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 Mersin and Busan 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 Panama Canal instead. That route is 14,539 nautical miles, 6,565 more, and adds about 19.5 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.

371 nm of the route, 5% 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 Mersin to Busan move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Busan (KRPUS) carriers give about 10 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 Mersin in this directory, Busan is the 53rd shortest. Closer destinations include Qingdao (7,915 nm), Callao (7,740 nm) and Shanghai (7,651 nm).