New York to Yokohama shipping route.

Ships leaving New York for Yokohama head north west and cover a sea distance of 9,834 nautical miles (18,213 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 10,875 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 29.3 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 34.1 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 22.8. 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 Yokohama to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Suez Canal, 13,120 nautical miles, 3,285 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Gibraltar is congested or closed.

522 nm of the route, 5% 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.

Container freight rates on New York to Yokohama move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Yokohama (JPYOK) carriers give about 8 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, Yokohama is the 45th shortest. Closer destinations include Auckland (8,922 nm), Colombo (8,637 nm) and Mombasa (8,212 nm).