China
United StatesShanghai to Los Angeles shipping route.
5,749 nautical miles direct, about 17.1 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Shanghai and Los Angeles
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
ShanghaiSeaLos AngelesShipping time from Shanghai to Los Angeles
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| direct (shortest) | 5,749 nm | 20.0 d | 17.1 d | 13.3 d |
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Live numbers for this lane from Navo apps, updated 2026-10-31.
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About the Shanghai to Los Angeles shipping route
Shanghai to Los Angeles is a 5,749 nautical mile shipping route on a direct course, heading north east from China to the United States. That is 10,648 km of water against 10,442 km as the crow flies. No canals or major straits on this leg, the ship stays close to the direct line.
At sea, the voyage lasts 20.0 days at 12 knots, 17.1 days at 14 knots and 13.3 days at 18 knots. Liner schedules on the lane quote 12 to 29 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 125 sailings by 10 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, HMM and Hapag-Lloyd).
683 nm of the route, 12% 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 USLAX start at $4,591 for a 20GP and $6,545 for a 40GP ($6,548 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 Los Angeles (USLAX) 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, Los Angeles is the 30th shortest. Closer destinations include Jebel Ali (5,710 nm), Salalah (5,593 nm) and Oakland (5,415 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Shanghai to Los Angeles?
The port to port distance from Shanghai to Los Angeles is 5,749 nautical miles (10,648 km), direct.
What is the shipping time from Shanghai to Los Angeles?
About 17.1 days at 14 knots and 13.3 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services on this lane quote 12 to 29 days.
What are freight rates from Shanghai to Los Angeles?
Recent spot rates for CNSHA to USLAX start at $4,591 per 20GP and $6,545 per 40GP, before local charges. Rates change weekly.
How much of the route is in an emission control area?
683 nm sit inside ECA waters (North American ECA), where ships burn 0.1% sulphur fuel.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Los Angeles to Shanghai has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- Shanghai to Qingdao410 nm
- Shanghai to
Busan469 nm - Shanghai to Incheon538 nm
- Shanghai to Dalian553 nm
- Shanghai to Xiamen589 nm
- Shanghai to
Kaohsiung635 nm - Oakland to Los Angeles385 nm
- Seattle to Los Angeles1,214 nm
Vancouver to Los Angeles1,235 nm
Manzanillo to Los Angeles1,284 nm
Balboa to Los Angeles2,974 nm
Cartagena to Los Angeles3,301 nm
How we count: sea routes follow shipping lanes and canals, time is pure steaming at 14 knots without port calls. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all sea distance between ports or the Shipping Routes Directory.