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Port-to-port sea distance

Basrah Oil Terminal to Wilhelmshaven distance

The sea distance from Basrah Oil Terminal (Iraq) to Wilhelmshaven (Germany) is about 6,861 nautical miles (12,706 km), via the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez Canal, Strait of Gibraltar and Dover Strait. At 12 knots that is about 23 days 20 hours at sea.

Distance

6,861 nm

12,706 km

Sea days @ 12 kn

23.8

23 days 20 hours

ECA miles

2,671 nm

39% of the route

Canals & straits

5

Strait of Hormuz · Bab-el-Mandeb · Suez Canal · Strait of Gibraltar · Dover Strait

Sea days by speed

SpeedOne wayRound voyage
10 knots28.6 days57.2 days
11 knots26.0 days52.0 days
12 knots23.8 days47.6 days
13 knots22.0 days44.0 days
14 knots20.4 days40.8 days
15 knots19.1 days38.1 days

Steaming time only, with no allowance for weather, canal waiting or port time. The round voyage assumes the ship ballasts back on the same route.

Routes compared

Shortest route

6,861 nm

23.8 days at 12 kn · Strait of Hormuz · Bab-el-Mandeb · Suez Canal · Strait of Gibraltar · Dover Strait · 2,671 nm in ECA

See it on the map

Via the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez and the Red Sea)

11,646 nm+4,785 nm

40.4 days at 12 kn · Strait of Hormuz · Dover Strait · 649 nm in ECA

See it on the map
  • A fully laden VLCC is deeper than the Suez Canal's 20.1 m draft limit, so it either goes round the Cape of Good Hope or discharges part of its cargo into the SUMED pipeline first. For a laden VLCC the Cape routing of 11,646 nm is the one to use.
  • Since early 2024 many owners have kept their ships out of the Red Sea. Routing via the Cape of Good Hope adds 4,785 nm (about 16.6 days at 12 knots).

Voyage estimates by ship size

About this trade

Arabian Gulf & Red Sea → Europe & US crude. Westbound Gulf crude into the Mediterranean, North-west Europe and the US. Routing depends on draft and on the Red Sea: fully laden VLCCs go round the Cape, Suezmaxes can transit Suez.

Typical ship sizes
VLCC, Suezmax
Related benchmark routes
TD1 (MEG–USG VLCC), TD23 (MEG–Med Suezmax)

Questions

How far is Basrah Oil Terminal from Wilhelmshaven by sea?

The sea distance from Basrah Oil Terminal to Wilhelmshaven is about 6,861 nautical miles (12,706 km), via the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez Canal, Strait of Gibraltar and Dover Strait.

How long does a tanker take to sail from Basrah Oil Terminal to Wilhelmshaven?

About 23 days 20 hours at 12 knots, or 20.4 days at 14 knots. That is steaming time only; add time for port calls, canal transits and weather.

Which canals and straits does the Basrah Oil Terminal–Wilhelmshaven route pass?

The shortest route passes the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez Canal, Strait of Gibraltar and Dover Strait. Alternative routings are listed above for ships that cannot or will not use them.

How much of the voyage is inside an Emission Control Area?

About 2,671 nm, or 39% of the voyage, is inside an ECA, where ships must burn 0.10% sulphur fuel or use a scrubber.

Terms on this page

Distances are calculated by Vessbook on a modelled global shipping-lane network for a tanker at 12 m draft, from berth area to berth area.

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