New York to Jeddah shipping route.

The shipping route from New York, United States to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia covers 5,828 nautical miles port to port, via Suez Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 10,256 km apart, so the ship sails 1.05 times the straight line distance. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar and Suez 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 17.3 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 20.2 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 13.5. 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 New York and Jeddah to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Cape of Good Hope, 11,609 nautical miles, 5,781 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Bab-el-Mandeb is congested or closed.

2,777 nm of the route, 48% of it, lies inside North American ECA and 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 New York to Jeddah move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Jeddah (SAJED) carriers give about 7 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 New York in this directory, Jeddah is the 30th shortest. Closer destinations include Oakland (5,383 nm), Mersin (5,172 nm) and Port Said (5,112 nm).