Santos to Seattle shipping route.

Santos to Seattle is a 8,782 nautical mile shipping route via Panama Canal, heading north west from Brazil to the United States. That is 16,264 km of water against 10,974 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 26.1 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 30.5 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 20.3. 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 Santos and Seattle to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 9,238 nautical miles, 457 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

1,267 nm of the route, 14% 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.

Container freight rates on Santos to Seattle move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Seattle (USSEA) carriers give about 3.94 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 65 port to port routes from Santos in this directory, Seattle is the 46th shortest. Closer destinations include Tanjung Priok (8,600 nm), Jebel Ali (8,253 nm) and Mundra (8,235 nm).