Chokepoints

The cost of avoiding a canal, lane by lane.

Modelled distance differences for lanes our network routes through Suez or Panama. These are planning figures from our route data, not live transit counts.

Transit counts: not shown. Licensed data needed.Advisories: no approved feed connected yetRoute deltas: modelled from our route data

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Canal and alternative-route distances.

Each row shows the modelled canal route, the modelled alternative, and the difference at 14 knots of sea time.

ChokepointLaneVia canal (nm)Alternative (nm)Extra (nm)Extra (%)Sea days at 14 kn
Suez CanalAround the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez)Singapore → Rotterdam8,36811,856+3,488+42%24.9 → 35.3
Suez CanalAround the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez)Shanghai (Yangshan) → Rotterdam10,51713,482+2,965+28%31.3 → 40.1
Suez CanalAround the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez)Busan → Rotterdam10,89913,027+2,128+20%32.4 → 38.8
Suez CanalAround the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez)Singapore → Genoa6,51111,651+5,140+79%19.4 → 34.7
Suez CanalAround the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez)Port Klang → Rotterdam8,18411,680+3,496+43%24.4 → 34.8
Suez CanalAround the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez)Jebel Ali (Dubai) → Rotterdam6,26611,049+4,783+76%18.6 → 32.9
Suez CanalAround the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez)Nhava Sheva (Mumbai) → Rotterdam6,36510,833+4,468+70%18.9 → 32.2
Suez CanalAround the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez)Colombo → Rotterdam6,82110,726+3,905+57%20.3 → 31.9
Panama CanalAvoiding Panama (modelled alternative)Tokyo → New York / New Jersey9,84013,126+3,286+33%29.3 → 39.1
Panama CanalAvoiding Panama (modelled alternative)Yokohama → New York / New Jersey9,82913,114+3,285+33%29.3 → 39.0
Panama CanalAvoiding Panama (modelled alternative)Shanghai (Yangshan) → New York / New Jersey10,66012,329+1,669+16%31.7 → 36.7
Panama CanalAvoiding Panama (modelled alternative)Busan → Savannah9,80213,214+3,412+35%29.2 → 39.3
Panama CanalAvoiding Panama (modelled alternative)Kaohsiung → Savannah10,69812,352+1,654+15%31.8 → 36.8
Panama CanalAvoiding Panama (modelled alternative)Shanghai (Yangshan) → Charleston10,24812,777+2,529+25%30.5 → 38.0

Sea time only: excludes port time, canal transit time and tolls, weather and speed changes. Use the calculators for a full voyage estimate.

Not modelled yet

Straits we do not yet route with an alternative.

For these, the network has no alternative to compare. We show nothing rather than an invented distance.

  • Strait of Malacca
  • Strait of Hormuz
  • Bab el-Mandeb
  • Turkish Straits
  • Dover Strait
  • Strait of Gibraltar

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