Seattle to Gdansk shipping route.

Ships leaving Seattle for Gdansk head north east and cover a sea distance of 9,731 nautical miles (18,022 km), via Panama Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,097 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.

At sea, the voyage lasts 33.8 days at 12 knots, 29.0 days at 14 knots and 22.5 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 Seattle and Gdansk to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 15,332 nautical miles, 5,601 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Magellan is congested or closed.

2,292 nm of the route, 24% of it, lies inside North American ECA, US Caribbean Sea ECA, North Sea ECA and Baltic 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 Gdansk move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Gdansk (PLGDN) carriers give about 7.5 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, Gdansk is the 52nd shortest. Closer destinations include Nhava Sheva (9,676 nm), Marsaxlokk (9,558 nm) and Lagos (Apapa) (9,460 nm).