Rotterdam to Manzanillo shipping route.

The shipping route from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Manzanillo, Mexico covers 6,544 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 9,566 km apart, so the ship sails 1.27 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.

At sea, the voyage lasts 22.7 days at 12 knots, 19.5 days at 14 knots and 15.1 days at 18 knots. 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 Manzanillo to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 12,338 nautical miles, 5,794 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

498 nm of the route, 8% of it, lies inside US Caribbean Sea ECA and 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 Manzanillo move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Manzanillo (MXZLO) 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 60 port to port routes from Rotterdam in this directory, Manzanillo is the 32nd shortest. Closer destinations include Mombasa (6,409 nm), Buenos Aires (6,388 nm) and Nhava Sheva (6,378 nm).