Ningbo to Houston shipping route.

Ships leaving Ningbo for Houston head north east and cover a sea distance of 10,259 nautical miles (19,000 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 12,322 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.

Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 30.5 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 35.6 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 23.7. Liner schedules on the lane quote 17 to 40 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 97 sailings by 10 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

The next option is via Suez Canal, 13,859 nautical miles, 3,600 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Suez Canal is congested or closed.

352 nm of the route, 3% 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 CNNGB to USHOU start at $7,180 for a 20GP and $8,350 for a 40GP ($7,800 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 Houston (USHOU) carriers give about 4 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 64 port to port routes from Ningbo in this directory, Houston is the 49th shortest. Closer destinations include Lagos (Apapa) (10,226 nm), Callao (9,383 nm) and Algeciras (9,091 nm).