Qingdao to Piraeus shipping route.

Ships leaving Qingdao for Piraeus head north west and cover a sea distance of 8,141 nautical miles (15,077 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,152 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.

At sea, the voyage lasts 28.3 days at 12 knots, 24.2 days at 14 knots and 18.8 days at 18 knots. Liner schedules on the lane quote 25 to 83 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 97 sailings by 8 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

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 14,484 nautical miles, 6,343 more, and adds about 18.9 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.

597 nm of the route, 7% 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 GRPIR start at $2,943 for a 20GP and $4,110 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 Piraeus (GRPIR) carriers give about 6.75 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, Piraeus is the 39th shortest. Closer destinations include Cape Town (8,016 nm), Mersin (7,915 nm) and Port Said (7,545 nm).