Oakland to Ho Chi Minh City shipping route.

The shipping route from Oakland, United States to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam covers 6,954 nautical miles port to port, on a direct course. On a globe the two ports sit 12,583 km apart, so the ship sails 1.02 times the straight line distance. No canals or major straits on this leg, the ship stays close to the direct line.

Pure steaming time is 20.7 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 24.1 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 16.1. Liner schedules on the lane quote 37 to 41 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 2 sailings by 1 carrier (Maersk).

348 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.

Recent freight rates for USOAK to VNSGN start at $4,523 for a 20GP and $6,560 for a 40GP ($6,610 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 Ho Chi Minh City (VNSGN) 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 65 port to port routes from Oakland in this directory, Ho Chi Minh City is the 29th shortest. Closer destinations include Montreal (6,693 nm), Haiphong (6,625 nm) and Sydney (6,506 nm).