Kenya
South AfricaMombasa to Cape Town shipping route.
2,631 nautical miles via Cape of Good Hope, about 7.8 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Mombasa and Cape Town
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
MombasaCape of Good HopeCape TownShipping time from Mombasa to Cape Town
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Cape of Good Hope (shortest) | 2,631 nm | 9.1 d | 7.8 d | 6.1 d |
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About the Mombasa to Cape Town shipping route
The shipping route from Mombasa, Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa covers 2,631 nautical miles port to port, via Cape of Good Hope. On a globe the two ports sit 3,983 km apart, so the ship sails 1.22 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Cape of Good Hope.
Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 7.8 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 9.1 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 6.1. 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 Mombasa and Cape Town to plan the full ocean transit time.
Container freight rates on Mombasa to Cape Town move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Cape Town (ZACPT) carriers give about 3 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 Mombasa in this directory, Cape Town is the 10th shortest. Closer destinations include Colombo (2,615 nm), Mundra (2,554 nm) and Jebel Ali (2,485 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Mombasa to Cape Town?
The port to port distance from Mombasa to Cape Town is 2,631 nautical miles (4,873 km), via Cape of Good Hope. The route passes Cape of Good Hope.
What is the shipping time from Mombasa to Cape Town?
About 7.8 days at 14 knots and 6.1 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services add calls and transhipment.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Cape Town to Mombasa has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- Mombasa to
Salalah1,590 nm - Mombasa to Durban1,759 nm
- Mombasa to
Djibouti1,805 nm - Mombasa to
Karachi2,411 nm - Mombasa to
Jeddah2,417 nm - Mombasa to
Nhava Sheva2,462 nm - Durban to Cape Town875 nm
Lagos (Apapa) to Cape Town2,619 nm
Santos to Cape Town3,508 nm
Buenos Aires to Cape Town3,846 nm- Salalah to Cape Town4,010 nm
- Djibouti to Cape Town4,225 nm
How we count: sea routes follow shipping lanes and canals, time is pure steaming at 14 knots without port calls. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all sea distance between ports or the Shipping Routes Directory.