Qingdao to Mersin shipping route.

Ships leaving Qingdao for Mersin head north west and cover a sea distance of 7,915 nautical miles (14,659 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 7,383 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Malacca, 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 23.6 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 27.5 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 18.3. Liner schedules on the lane quote 33 to 72 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 56 sailings by 8 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and ONE).

The shortest route goes through the Red Sea. Since attacks on shipping began there in late 2023, many carriers send ships via Panama Canal instead. That route is 15,020 nautical miles, 7,105 more, and adds about 21.1 days at 14 knots. Longer voyages burn more fuel and tie up more ships, which is why freight rates on Red Sea lanes jumped when the diversions started.

371 nm of the route, 5% of it, lies inside 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.

Recent freight rates for CNTAO to TRMER start at $3,090 for a 20GP and $4,300 for a 40GP. These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. At Mersin (TRMER) 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 64 port to port routes from Qingdao in this directory, Mersin is the 37th shortest. Closer destinations include Port Said (7,545 nm), Durban (7,295 nm) and Manzanillo (6,982 nm).