Voyage estimate
VLCC voyage: Basrah Oil Terminal to Philadelphia
A VLCC carrying 270,000 tonnes from Basrah Oil Terminal to Philadelphia sails about 12,104 nm laden via the Cape of Good Hope and Strait of Hormuz, about 40.3 days at 12.5 knots. With the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, the round voyage takes about 71.8 days and burns about 3,593 tonnes of fuel.
Round voyage
71.8 d
40.3 d laden
Laden distance
12,104 nm
Via the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez and the Red Sea)
Fuel (VLSFO)
3,593 t
Round voyage
CO2
11,320 t
Outside EU ETS
Round voyage breakdown
| Leg | Distance | Speed | Days | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Laden Basrah Oil Terminal → Philadelphia | 12,104 nm | 12.5 kn | 40.3 | 2,219 t |
Ballast Philadelphia → Basrah Oil Terminal | 8,552 nm | 13 kn | 27.4 | 1,234 t |
Port time Loading and discharge | — | — | 4.0 | 140 t |
| Round voyage | 20,656 nm | 71.8 | 3,593 t |
Laden via the Cape of Good Hope and Strait of Hormuz; ballast via the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Suez Canal and Strait of Gibraltar.
A laden VLCC draws about 22.5 m, deeper than the Suez Canal's 20.1 m limit, so the laden leg takes a longer route: via the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez and the Red Sea).
Emissions and EU ETS
The round voyage burns about 3,593 tonnes of VLSFO, emitting about 11,320 tonnes of CO2. Neither port is in the EU ETS area, so no EU allowances are needed for this voyage.
Assumptions
- Cargo
- 270,000 t
- Laden speed
- 12.5 kn at 55 t/day
- Ballast speed
- 13 kn at 45 t/day
- Port time
- 4 days at 35 t/day
- Laden draft
- 22.5 m
- CO2 factor
- 3.151 t per t fuel
Other ship sizes on this route
Questions
How long does a VLCC take from Basrah Oil Terminal to Philadelphia?
About 40 days 8 hours laden at 12.5 knots over 12,104 nm via the Cape of Good Hope and Strait of Hormuz. The full round voyage, with the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, takes about 71.8 days.
How much fuel does a VLCC burn on this voyage?
About 3,593 tonnes of VLSFO for the round voyage (2,219 t laden, 1,234 t ballast, 140 t in port), emitting about 11,320 tonnes of CO2.