Netherlands
GermanyRotterdam to Hamburg shipping route.
310 nautical miles direct, about 0.9 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Rotterdam and Hamburg
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
RotterdamSeaHamburgShipping time from Rotterdam to Hamburg
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| direct (shortest) | 310 nm | 1.1 d | 0.9 d | 0.7 d |
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About the Rotterdam to Hamburg shipping route
The shipping route from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Hamburg, Germany covers 310 nautical miles port to port, on a direct course. On a globe the two ports sit 414 km apart, so the ship sails 1.39 times the straight line distance. No canals on this leg, the extra miles come from sailing around headlands and islands.
Pure steaming time is 0.9 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 1.1 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 0.7. 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 Rotterdam and Hamburg to plan the full ocean transit time.
283 nm of the route, 91% of it, lies inside 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 Rotterdam to Hamburg move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Hamburg (DEHAM) carriers give about 3.83 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.
Of the 60 port to port routes from Rotterdam in this directory, Hamburg is the shortest. It is the closest port to Rotterdam we cover.
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Rotterdam to Hamburg?
The port to port distance from Rotterdam to Hamburg is 310 nautical miles (575 km), direct.
What is the shipping time from Rotterdam to Hamburg?
About 0.9 days at 14 knots and 0.7 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services add calls and transhipment.
How much of the route is in an emission control area?
283 nm sit inside ECA waters (North Sea ECA), where ships burn 0.1% sulphur fuel.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Hamburg to Rotterdam has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
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- Rotterdam to Barcelona1,928 nm
- Rotterdam to
Genoa2,260 nm 
Antwerp to Hamburg362 nm
Felixstowe to Hamburg372 nm- Gothenburg to Hamburg389 nm
- London Gateway to Hamburg404 nm
Le Havre to Hamburg500 nm- Gdansk to Hamburg785 nm
How we count: sea routes follow shipping lanes and canals, time is pure steaming at 14 knots without port calls. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all sea distance between ports or the Shipping Routes Directory.