Valencia to Durban shipping route.

Ships leaving Valencia for Durban head south east and cover a sea distance of 6,315 nautical miles (11,696 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 8,362 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

At sea, the voyage lasts 21.9 days at 12 knots, 18.8 days at 14 knots and 14.6 days at 18 knots. 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 Valencia and Durban to plan the full ocean transit time.

1,668 nm of the route, 26% of it, lies inside Mediterranean Sea 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.

Container freight rates on Valencia to Durban move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Durban (ZADUR) carriers give about 3 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 Valencia in this directory, Durban is the 37th shortest. Closer destinations include Callao (6,161 nm), Buenos Aires (5,760 nm) and Cape Town (5,628 nm).