Valencia to Hong Kong shipping route.

Ships leaving Valencia for Hong Kong head north east and cover a sea distance of 8,173 nautical miles (15,136 km), via Suez Canal. The straight line between the ports is 10,360 km; coastlines and shipping lanes add the rest. On the way the vessel passes Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Malacca, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 24.3 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 28.4 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 18.9. Liner schedules on the lane quote 30 to 267 days port to port, because the services call at other ports and some transship. Over the last 30 days we counted 40 sailings by 6 carriers (CMA CGM, Evergreen, Maersk, ONE and OOCL).

The shortest route goes through the Red Sea. Since attacks on shipping began there in late 2023, many carriers send ships via Cape of Good Hope instead. That route is 12,459 nautical miles, 4,286 more, and adds about 12.8 days at 14 knots. Longer voyages burn more fuel and tie up more ships, which is why freight rates on Red Sea lanes jumped when the diversions started.

1,668 nm of the route, 20% 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.

Recent freight rates for ESVLC to HKHKG start at $2,805 for a 20GP and $3,580 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 Hong Kong (HKHKG) 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 Valencia in this directory, Hong Kong is the 48th shortest. Closer destinations include Oakland (8,134 nm), Manila (8,097 nm) and Haiphong (8,053 nm).