Shanghai to Bremerhaven shipping route.

Ships leaving Shanghai for Bremerhaven head north west and cover a sea distance of 10,796 nautical miles (19,993 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,584 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca and Strait of Gibraltar, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 37.5 days at 12 knots, 32.1 days at 14 knots and 25.0 days at 18 knots. Liner schedules on the lane quote 33 to 59 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 11 sailings by 3 carriers (CMA CGM, Maersk and MSC).

Red Sea security changes the sea distance on this lane. A ship sent via Panama Canal sails 13,715 nm instead of 10,796 nm and spends roughly 8.7 extra days at sea. Ask your forwarder which routing the carrier uses: the booking price and the arrival date both depend on it.

2,564 nm of the route, 24% of it, lies inside North Sea ECA and Mediterranean 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.

Recent freight rates for CNSHA to DEBRV start at $1,800 for a 20GP and $3,000 for a 40GP. These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. 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 Shanghai in this directory, Bremerhaven is the 58th shortest. Closer destinations include New York (10,678 nm), Rotterdam (10,589 nm) and Antwerp (10,569 nm).