Rotterdam to Mombasa shipping route.

Ships leaving Rotterdam for Mombasa head south east and cover a sea distance of 6,409 nautical miles (11,869 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 7,056 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar, Bab-el-Mandeb and Suez Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 19.1 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 22.3 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 14.8. 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 Mombasa to plan the full ocean transit time.

The shortest route goes through the Red Sea. Since attacks on shipping began there in late 2023, many carriers send ships via Cape of Good Hope instead. That route is 8,788 nautical miles, 2,379 more, and adds about 7.1 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.

2,341 nm of the route, 37% of it, lies inside North Sea ECA and 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.

Container freight rates on Rotterdam to Mombasa move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one.

Of the 60 port to port routes from Rotterdam in this directory, Mombasa is the 31st shortest. Closer destinations include Buenos Aires (6,388 nm), Nhava Sheva (6,378 nm) and Mundra (6,364 nm).