Qingdao to New York shipping route.

The shipping route from Qingdao, China to New York, United States covers 10,690 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 11,353 km apart, so the ship sails 1.74 times the straight line distance. 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 31.8 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 37.1 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 24.7. Liner schedules on the lane quote 24 to 60 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 123 sailings by 9 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

The next option is via Suez Canal, 12,657 nautical miles, 1,966 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Suez Canal is congested or closed.

522 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 CNTAO to USNYC start at $6,748 for a 20GP and $8,435 for a 40GP ($8,485 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 New York (USNYC) 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 Qingdao in this directory, New York is the 53rd shortest. Closer destinations include Le Havre (10,655 nm), Lagos (Apapa) (10,605 nm) and Savannah (10,283 nm).