Oakland to Le Havre shipping route.

Ships leaving Oakland for Le Havre head north east and cover a sea distance of 8,020 nautical miles (14,853 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,781 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 23.9 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 27.8 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 18.6. 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 Oakland and Le Havre to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 13,477 nautical miles, 5,457 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

759 nm of the route, 9% of it, lies inside North American ECA, US Caribbean Sea ECA and North 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 Oakland to Le Havre move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Le Havre (FRLEH) 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 Oakland in this directory, Le Havre is the 38th shortest. Closer destinations include Santos (7,953 nm), Buenos Aires (7,830 nm) and Algeciras (7,750 nm).