Seattle to Karachi shipping route.

Seattle to Karachi is a 10,164 nautical mile shipping route via Strait of Malacca, heading north from the United States to Pakistan. That is 18,825 km of water against 11,903 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Malacca.

At sea, the voyage lasts 35.3 days at 12 knots, 30.3 days at 14 knots and 23.5 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 Karachi to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Sunda Strait, 10,762 nautical miles, 597 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Sunda Strait is congested or closed.

548 nm of the route, 5% 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 Karachi move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Karachi (PKKHI) carriers give about 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, Karachi is the 55th shortest. Closer destinations include Mundra (10,010 nm), Piraeus (10,006 nm) and Gdansk (9,731 nm).