Voyage estimate
VLCC voyage: Houston to Singapore
A VLCC carrying 270,000 tonnes from Houston to Singapore sails about 13,143 nm laden via the Cape of Good Hope, Sunda Strait and Malacca Strait, about 43.8 days at 12.5 knots. With the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, the round voyage takes about 85.5 days and burns about 4,246 tonnes of fuel.
Round voyage
85.5 d
43.8 d laden
Laden distance
13,143 nm
Via the Cape (avoiding both Suez and Panama)
Fuel (VLSFO)
4,246 t
Round voyage
CO2
13,379 t
Outside EU ETS
Round voyage breakdown
| Leg | Distance | Speed | Days | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Laden Houston → Singapore | 13,143 nm | 12.5 kn | 43.8 | 2,410 t |
Ballast Singapore → Houston | 11,762 nm | 13 kn | 37.7 | 1,696 t |
Port time Loading and discharge | — | — | 4.0 | 140 t |
| Round voyage | 24,906 nm | 85.5 | 4,246 t |
Laden via the Cape of Good Hope, Sunda Strait and Malacca Strait; ballast via the Strait of Gibraltar, Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca Strait.
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 (avoiding both Suez and Panama).
Emissions and EU ETS
The round voyage burns about 4,246 tonnes of VLSFO, emitting about 13,379 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 Houston to Singapore?
About 43 days 19 hours laden at 12.5 knots over 13,143 nm via the Cape of Good Hope, Sunda Strait and Malacca Strait. The full round voyage, with the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, takes about 85.5 days.
How much fuel does a VLCC burn on this voyage?
About 4,246 tonnes of VLSFO for the round voyage (2,410 t laden, 1,696 t ballast, 140 t in port), emitting about 13,379 tonnes of CO2.