Seattle to Durban shipping route.

Seattle to Durban is a 11,485 nautical mile shipping route via Panama Canal, heading north east from the United States to South Africa. That is 21,271 km of water against 17,004 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Cape of Good Hope and Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 34.2 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 39.9 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 26.6. 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 Durban to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 11,771 nautical miles, 286 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Cape of Good Hope is congested or closed.

1,267 nm of the route, 11% 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 Seattle to Durban move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Durban (ZADUR) carriers give about 3 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, Durban is the 64th shortest. Closer destinations include Mombasa (11,291 nm), Jeddah (11,198 nm) and Djibouti (10,943 nm).