Shanghai to New York shipping route.

The shipping route from Shanghai, China to New York, United States covers 10,678 nautical miles port to port, via Panama Canal. On a globe the two ports sit 11,840 km apart, so the ship sails 1.67 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.

Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 31.8 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 37.1 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 24.7. Liner schedules on the lane quote 15 to 64 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 297 sailings by 10 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk).

The next option is via Suez Canal, 12,392 nautical miles, 1,714 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Suez Canal is congested or closed.

522 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.

Recent freight rates for CNSHA to USNYC start at $6,077 for a 20GP and $8,370 for a 40GP ($8,248 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 New York (USNYC) 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, New York is the 57th shortest. Closer destinations include Rotterdam (10,589 nm), Antwerp (10,569 nm) and London Gateway (10,518 nm).