Seattle to Ho Chi Minh City shipping route.

Ships leaving Seattle for Ho Chi Minh City head north west and cover a sea distance of 6,683 nautical miles (12,377 km), on a direct course. The straight line between the ports is 11,916 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. No canals or major straits on this leg, the ship stays close to the direct line.

Pure steaming time is 19.9 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 23.2 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 15.5. 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 Ho Chi Minh City to plan the full ocean transit time.

548 nm of the route, 8% 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 Ho Chi Minh City move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Ho Chi Minh City (VNSGN) carriers give about 4 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, Ho Chi Minh City is the 26th shortest. Closer destinations include Haiphong (6,353 nm), Auckland (6,338 nm) and New York (6,212 nm).