Voyage estimate
VLCC voyage: Beaumont to Sikka
A VLCC carrying 270,000 tonnes from Beaumont to Sikka sails about 12,149 nm laden via the Cape of Good Hope, about 40.5 days at 12.5 knots. With the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, the round voyage takes about 75.3 days and burns about 3,753 tonnes of fuel.
Round voyage
75.3 d
40.5 d laden
Laden distance
12,149 nm
Via the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez and the Red Sea)
Fuel (VLSFO)
3,753 t
Round voyage
CO2
11,825 t
Outside EU ETS
Round voyage breakdown
| Leg | Distance | Speed | Days | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Laden Beaumont → Sikka | 12,149 nm | 12.5 kn | 40.5 | 2,227 t |
Ballast Sikka → Beaumont | 9,606 nm | 13 kn | 30.8 | 1,385 t |
Port time Loading and discharge | — | — | 4.0 | 140 t |
| Round voyage | 21,755 nm | 75.3 | 3,753 t |
Laden via the Cape of Good Hope; ballast via the Strait of Gibraltar, Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb.
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 3,753 tonnes of VLSFO, emitting about 11,825 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 Beaumont to Sikka?
About 40 days 12 hours laden at 12.5 knots over 12,149 nm via the Cape of Good Hope. The full round voyage, with the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, takes about 75.3 days.
How much fuel does a VLCC burn on this voyage?
About 3,753 tonnes of VLSFO for the round voyage (2,227 t laden, 1,385 t ballast, 140 t in port), emitting about 11,825 tonnes of CO2.