Voyage estimate
Suezmax voyage: Houston to Qingdao
A Suezmax carrying 130,000 tonnes from Houston to Qingdao sails about 14,261 nm laden via the Strait of Gibraltar, Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca Strait, about 47.5 days at 12.5 knots. With the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, the round voyage takes about 84.8 days and burns about 3,100 tonnes of fuel.
Round voyage
84.8 d
47.5 d laden
Laden distance
14,261 nm
Avoiding the Panama Canal
Fuel (VLSFO)
3,100 t
Round voyage
CO2
9,768 t
Outside EU ETS
Round voyage breakdown
| Leg | Distance | Speed | Days | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Laden Houston → Qingdao | 14,261 nm | 12.5 kn | 47.5 | 1,901 t |
Ballast Qingdao → Houston | 10,387 nm | 13 kn | 33.3 | 1,099 t |
Port time Loading and discharge | — | — | 4.0 | 100 t |
| Round voyage | 24,647 nm | 84.8 | 3,100 t |
Laden via the Strait of Gibraltar, Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca Strait; ballast via the Panama Canal.
A laden Suezmax draws about 17 m, deeper than the Panama Canal's 15.2 m limit, so the laden leg takes a longer route: avoiding the Panama Canal.
Emissions and EU ETS
The round voyage burns about 3,100 tonnes of VLSFO, emitting about 9,768 tonnes of CO2. Neither port is in the EU ETS area, so no EU allowances are needed for this voyage.
Assumptions
- Cargo
- 130,000 t
- Laden speed
- 12.5 kn at 40 t/day
- Ballast speed
- 13 kn at 33 t/day
- Port time
- 4 days at 25 t/day
- Laden draft
- 17 m
- CO2 factor
- 3.151 t per t fuel
Other ship sizes on this route
Questions
How long does a Suezmax take from Houston to Qingdao?
About 47 days 13 hours laden at 12.5 knots over 14,261 nm via the Strait of Gibraltar, Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca Strait. The full round voyage, with the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, takes about 84.8 days.
How much fuel does a Suezmax burn on this voyage?
About 3,100 tonnes of VLSFO for the round voyage (1,901 t laden, 1,099 t ballast, 100 t in port), emitting about 9,768 tonnes of CO2.