Montreal to Shanghai shipping route.

The shipping route from Montreal, Canada to Shanghai, China covers 11,988 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 11,329 km apart, so the ship sails 1.96 times the straight line distance. 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 35.7 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 41.6 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 27.7. Liner schedules on the lane quote 17 to 61 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 90 sailings by 10 carriers (COSCO, Evergreen, HMM, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

The next option is via Suez Canal, 12,486 nautical miles, 499 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Suez Canal is congested or closed.

1,463 nm of the route, 12% 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.

Recent freight rates for CAMTR to CNSHA start at $6,633 for a 20GP and $8,788 for a 40GP ($8,588 for a 40HC). These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. At Shanghai (CNSHA) 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 Montreal in this directory, Shanghai is the 62nd shortest. Closer destinations include Incheon (11,954 nm), Kaohsiung (11,948 nm) and Xiamen (11,937 nm).