Shanghai to Houston shipping route.

The shipping route from Shanghai, China to Houston, United States covers 10,206 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 12,184 km apart, so the ship sails 1.55 times the straight line distance. 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 35.4 days at 12 knots, 30.4 days at 14 knots and 23.6 days at 18 knots. Liner schedules on the lane quote 22 to 63 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 117 sailings by 10 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

The next option is via Suez Canal, 13,973 nautical miles, 3,767 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Suez Canal is congested or closed.

352 nm of the route, 3% 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.

Recent freight rates for CNSHA to USHOU start at $7,216 for a 20GP and $8,395 for a 40GP ($8,445 for a 40HC). These are spot market prices from carriers that sail the lane; your quote will also include terminal handling, documentation and any bunker surcharge. At Houston (USHOU) 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 Shanghai in this directory, Houston is the 48th shortest. Closer destinations include Callao (9,330 nm), Algeciras (9,205 nm) and Cartagena (8,982 nm).