China
United StatesShanghai to Seattle shipping route.
5,144 nautical miles direct, about 15.3 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Shanghai and Seattle
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
ShanghaiSeaSeattleShipping time from Shanghai to Seattle
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| direct (shortest) | 5,144 nm | 17.9 d | 15.3 d | 11.9 d |
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About the Shanghai to Seattle shipping route
Shanghai to Seattle is a 5,144 nautical mile shipping route on a direct course, heading north east from China to the United States. That is 9,526 km of water against 9,171 km as the crow flies. No canals or major straits on this leg, the ship stays close to the direct line.
Pure steaming time is 15.3 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 17.9 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 11.9. Liner schedules on the lane quote 11 to 52 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 61 sailings by 6 carriers (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd and MSC).
548 nm of the route, 11% 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 USSEA start at $5,791 for a 20GP and $8,046 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 Seattle (USSEA) carriers give about 3.94 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, Seattle is the 22nd shortest. Closer destinations include Mundra (5,053 nm), Nhava Sheva (4,719 nm) and Sydney (4,644 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Shanghai to Seattle?
The port to port distance from Shanghai to Seattle is 5,144 nautical miles (9,526 km), direct.
What is the shipping time from Shanghai to Seattle?
About 15.3 days at 14 knots and 11.9 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services on this lane quote 11 to 52 days.
What are freight rates from Shanghai to Seattle?
Recent spot rates for CNSHA to USSEA start at $5,791 per 20GP and $8,046 per 40GP, before local charges. Rates change weekly.
How much of the route is in an emission control area?
548 nm sit inside ECA waters (North American ECA), where ships burn 0.1% sulphur fuel.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Seattle 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 Seattle879 nm
- Los Angeles to Seattle1,214 nm
Manzanillo to Seattle2,498 nm
Balboa to Seattle4,188 nm
Yokohama to Seattle4,300 nm- Tokyo to Seattle4,311 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.