Seattle to Bremerhaven shipping route.

Ships leaving Seattle for Bremerhaven head north east and cover a sea distance of 9,249 nautical miles (17,129 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 7,855 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 27.5 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 32.1 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 21.4. 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 Seattle and Bremerhaven to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 14,711 nautical miles, 5,462 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

1,988 nm of the route, 21% of it, lies inside North American ECA, 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 Seattle to Bremerhaven move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Bremerhaven (DEBRV) 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 64 port to port routes from Seattle in this directory, Bremerhaven is the 45th shortest. Closer destinations include Barcelona (9,102 nm), Rotterdam (9,042 nm) and Antwerp (9,023 nm).