How Long Does Container Shipping Take? (Transit Times by Route)

Container shipping is the slowest mode of cargo transport, but it's also the cheapest per ton-mile by a wide margin. If you're a shipper, freight forwarder, or just tracking a single shipment, understanding typical transit times helps you set realistic expectations and plan inventory.

Major trade lanes at a glance

These are typical port-to-port transit times for full container loads (FCL), excluding origin/destination inland transit, port congestion delays, and customs clearance time.

• Trans-Pacific Eastbound (China → US West Coast): 14-18 days
• Trans-Pacific Eastbound (China → US East Coast): 28-35 days (via Panama Canal)
• Trans-Pacific Eastbound (China → US East Coast): 22-28 days (via Suez Canal — much longer sea route, but used by some carriers)
• Asia → North Europe (Shanghai → Rotterdam): 28-35 days
• Asia → Mediterranean (Shanghai → Piraeus): 22-28 days
• Trans-Atlantic (US East → North Europe): 10-14 days
• Trans-Atlantic (US Gulf → North Europe): 14-18 days
• Intra-Asia (Shanghai → Singapore): 5-7 days
• Intra-Asia (Shanghai → Busan): 2-3 days
• Asia → Middle East (Shanghai → Jebel Ali): 18-22 days
• Asia → Africa (Shanghai → Durban): 25-32 days
• Asia → South America (Shanghai → Santos): 35-45 days

Factors that affect transit time

• Direct service vs transshipment: direct sailings are faster but less common; transshipment via a hub (Singapore, Hong Kong) can add 3-7 days
• Port congestion: a 2021-2022 congestion event at Long Beach added 10-15 days to many China-US routes
• Weather: typhoons, monsoons, and winter storms can delay sailings
• Sailing schedule: weekly service vs daily service affects how long you wait for the next available ship
• Canal transits: Suez Canal closures or Panama Canal restrictions can significantly extend transit
• Vessel speed: most container ships sail at 18-22 knots; some slow-steaming to save fuel

Why you should always check live tracking

Schedules are estimates, not guarantees. A ship might be 'on time' by carrier standards but still 24 hours behind original schedule. The only way to know where your container actually is — and when it will arrive — is to track it.

MariMetric provides real-time tracking across MSC, COSCO, CMA CGM, ONE, HMM and more. Use any container number to get live status, current location on the map, and the full movement timeline.

How to estimate arrival for a new shipment

1. 1Get the Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) from the carrier's booking confirmation
2. 2Add the typical transit time for the route (see above)
3. 3Get the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) — note that the carrier updates this as the voyage progresses
4. 4Watch for delay flags in MariMetric's tracking UI: customs holds, transshipment, congestion warnings