Japan
Sri LankaTokyo to Colombo shipping route.
4,551 nautical miles via Strait of Malacca, about 13.6 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Tokyo and Colombo
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
TokyoStrait of MalaccaColomboShipping time from Tokyo to Colombo
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Strait of Malacca (shortest) | 4,551 nm | 15.8 d | 13.5 d | 10.5 d |
| via Sunda Strait | 5,148 nm | 17.9 d | 15.3 d | 11.9 d |
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About the Tokyo to Colombo shipping route
Ships leaving Tokyo for Colombo head west and cover a sea distance of 4,551 nautical miles (8,429 km), via Strait of Malacca. The straight line between the ports is 6,859 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Malacca.
Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 13.6 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 15.8 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 10.5. Container transit time on a liner service is longer than the steaming time: ships call at other ports on the rotation, and cargo may transship at a hub. Add terminal time at Tokyo and Colombo to plan the full ocean transit time.
The next option is via Sunda Strait, 5,148 nautical miles, 597 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Sunda Strait is congested or closed.
Container freight rates on Tokyo to Colombo move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Colombo (LKCMB) carriers give about 5 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 Tokyo in this directory, Colombo is the 21st shortest. Closer destinations include Sydney (4,375 nm), Vancouver (4,332 nm) and Seattle (4,311 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Tokyo to Colombo?
The port to port distance from Tokyo to Colombo is 4,551 nautical miles (8,429 km), via Strait of Malacca. The route passes Strait of Malacca.
What is the shipping time from Tokyo to Colombo?
About 13.5 days at 14 knots and 10.5 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services add calls and transhipment.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route Colombo to Tokyo has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- Tokyo to
Busan669 nm - Tokyo to
Shanghai1,042 nm - Tokyo to Incheon1,067 nm
- Tokyo to Ningbo1,075 nm
- Tokyo to Qingdao1,113 nm
- Tokyo to Dalian1,176 nm
Nhava Sheva to Colombo931 nm- Mundra to Colombo1,265 nm
Karachi to Colombo1,419 nm
Port Klang to Colombo1,420 nm
Singapore to Colombo1,605 nm
Salalah to Colombo1,838 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.