Oakland to Marsaxlokk shipping route.

Ships leaving Oakland for Marsaxlokk head north east and cover a sea distance of 8,729 nautical miles (16,166 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 10,698 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar and 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 26.0 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 30.3 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 20.2. 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 Marsaxlokk to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Suez Canal, 13,460 nautical miles, 4,731 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Suez Canal is congested or closed.

1,597 nm of the route, 18% of it, lies inside North American ECA, US Caribbean Sea 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 Oakland to Marsaxlokk move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Marsaxlokk (MTMAR) carriers give about 6 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, Marsaxlokk is the 50th shortest. Closer destinations include Lagos (Apapa) (8,631 nm), Genoa (8,605 nm) and Gothenburg (8,507 nm).