Voyage estimate
Suezmax voyage: Houston to Ulsan
A Suezmax carrying 130,000 tonnes from Houston to Ulsan sails about 14,313 nm laden via the Strait of Gibraltar, Suez Canal, Bab-el-Mandeb and Malacca Strait, about 47.7 days at 12.5 knots. With the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, the round voyage takes about 83.4 days and burns about 3,053 tonnes of fuel.
Round voyage
83.4 d
47.7 d laden
Laden distance
14,313 nm
Avoiding the Panama Canal
Fuel (VLSFO)
3,053 t
Round voyage
CO2
9,621 t
Outside EU ETS
Round voyage breakdown
| Leg | Distance | Speed | Days | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Laden Houston → Ulsan | 14,313 nm | 12.5 kn | 47.7 | 1,908 t |
Ballast Ulsan → Houston | 9,879 nm | 13 kn | 31.7 | 1,045 t |
Port time Loading and discharge | — | — | 4.0 | 100 t |
| Round voyage | 24,191 nm | 83.4 | 3,053 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 3,053 tonnes of VLSFO, emitting about 9,621 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 Ulsan?
About 47 days 17 hours laden at 12.5 knots over 14,313 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 83.4 days.
How much fuel does a Suezmax burn on this voyage?
About 3,053 tonnes of VLSFO for the round voyage (1,908 t laden, 1,045 t ballast, 100 t in port), emitting about 9,621 tonnes of CO2.