Voyage estimate
VLCC voyage: Ras Tanura to Houston
A VLCC carrying 270,000 tonnes from Ras Tanura to Houston sails about 12,552 nm laden via the Cape of Good Hope and Strait of Hormuz, about 41.8 days at 12.5 knots. With the ballast leg back and 4 days in port, the round voyage takes about 77.4 days and burns about 3,860 tonnes of fuel.
Round voyage
77.4 d
41.8 d laden
Laden distance
12,552 nm
Via the Cape of Good Hope (avoiding Suez and the Red Sea)
Fuel (VLSFO)
3,860 t
Round voyage
CO2
12,164 t
Outside EU ETS
Round voyage breakdown
| Leg | Distance | Speed | Days | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Laden Ras Tanura → Houston | 12,552 nm | 12.5 kn | 41.8 | 2,301 t |
Ballast Houston → Ras Tanura | 9,838 nm | 13 kn | 31.5 | 1,419 t |
Port time Loading and discharge | — | — | 4.0 | 140 t |
| Round voyage | 22,390 nm | 77.4 | 3,860 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 3,860 tonnes of VLSFO, emitting about 12,164 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 Ras Tanura to Houston?
About 41 days 20 hours laden at 12.5 knots over 12,552 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 77.4 days.
How much fuel does a VLCC burn on this voyage?
About 3,860 tonnes of VLSFO for the round voyage (2,301 t laden, 1,419 t ballast, 140 t in port), emitting about 12,164 tonnes of CO2.