World Shipping Routes (from Hofstra University)

Here’s a post showing main ocean shipping routes from China to the worldwide, including main ports of each route, with the main container shipping companies which you can consider to choose.

3 Shipping Routes

In general, there are three different routes for made-in-China products transport to the world via the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean.

China Shipping Routes

When taking the Pacific route, the ships will go through the south of the East China Sea. Then they go northward through the Sea of Japan through the Okhotsk to enter the North Pacific Ocean. Via this route the ships can reach the west of Latin America, the west of the U.S., New Zealand, Australia and western Canada.

In addition, numerous vessels will take the Atlantic route. In this case, the ships will go in a southern direction from China, and sail via the Indian Ocean and the Cape of Good Hope. Consequently, the ships can set direction to Western Europe, the East Coast of the U.S., the Suez Canal, the Gulf and the Mediterranean area.

A third route the ships are often taking is the Indian Ocean. This lane is often used for oil transport. The lane enables China goods to reach the Persian Gulf, East Africa, Western Europe and North America by setting sail towards the Cape of Good Hope.

Now let’s divide into different countries or regions.

Shipping by Countries or Regions

Shipping to Japan

Main ports

Eastern Japan: NAGOYA, TOKYO, YOKOHAMA
Western Japan: KOBE, MOJI, OSAKA

Main shipping companies

KMTC, CSCL, SITC, DONGYING, SINOKOR, CHAOYANG, HMM, MOL, NYK

Shipping to Korea

Main ports

BUSAN, INCHON, SEOUL

Main shipping companies

KMTC, CSCL, SITC, DONGYING, SINOKOR, CHAOYANG, HMM

Shipping to Far East Russia

Main ports

VLADIVOSTOK, VOSTOCHNY, ROSTOV

Main shipping companies

FESCO, SINOKOR, MAERSK

Shipping from Mainland to Taiwan

Main ports

KAOHSIUNG, KEELUNG, TAICHUNG

Main shipping companies

SYMS, KMTC, CSCL, SITC, DONGYING, SINOKOR, CHAOYANG

Shipping to Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia countries: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, East Timor

Main ports

BELAWAN, SURABAYA, PENANG, PORT KELANG, CEBU, SINGAPORE, HAIPHONG, HOCHIMINH, MANILA, JAKARTA

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: RCL, OOCL, COSCO, HMM, APL
Low shipping rates & long transit time: ESL, ZIM, NORASIA
High shipping rates & less transit time: CSCL, NYK, WANHAI

Shipping to India/Pakistan

Main ports

BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, COCHIN, COLOMBO, MADRAS, KARACHI, NHAVA SHEVA, CHENNAI, NEW DELHI

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: RCL, HMM, COSCO
Low shipping rates & long transit time: NCL, MSC, ESL, SCI
High shipping rates & less transit time: MAERSK, WANHAI, PIL

Shipping to Mediterranean

Main ports

Eastern Mediterranean: LIMASSOL, ALEXANDRIA, DAMIETTA, ASHDOD, BEIRUT
Western Mediterranean: BARCELONA, VALENCIA, NAPLES, LIVORNO

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: EMC, CSAV
Low shipping rates & long transit time: NCL, MSC
High shipping rates & less transit time: COSCO, CMA

Shipping to Red Sea

Main ports

AQABA, JEDDAH, PORT SUDAN, HODEIDAH, SOKHNA

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: PIL
Low shipping rates & long transit time: EMC, MSC
High shipping rates & less transit time: COSCO, APL

Shipping to Black Sea

Main ports

ODESSA, CONSTANTZA, POTI, BURGAS, NOVOROSSIYSK

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: PIL, NYK, CMA
Low shipping rates & long transit time: EMC, MSC
High shipping rates & less transit time: COSCO, APL, CSAV, ZIM

Shipping to Middle East

Main ports

ABU DHABI, DUBAI, UMM QASAR, BANDAR ABBAS, KUWAIT, SALALAH, DOHA, DAMMAN, RIYADH

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: HMM, ZIM, OOCL, RCL, NCL
Low shipping rates & long transit time: ESL, MSC, CSCL
High shipping rates & less transit time: COSCO, WANHAI, APL, NYK, YML, PIL

Shipping to Europe

Main ports

HAMBURG, ANTWERP, FELIXSTOWE, SOUTHAMPTON, ROTTERDAM, LE HAVRE, ZEEBRUGGE, BREMERHAVEN, MARSEILLES, PORTSMOUTH, DUBLIN, LISBON, FREDRIKSTAD, STOCKHOLM

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: COSCO, KLINE
Low shipping rates & long transit time: MSC, CSCL, PIL, ZIM, WANHAI, MISC
High shipping rates & less transit time: APL, CMA, HMM, MSK

Shipping to Africa

Main ports

Eastern Africa: DJIBOUTI, MOMBASA, MOGADISCIO, DAR ES SALAAM, NAIROBI
Western Africa: COTONOU, ABIDJAN, APAPA, LAGOS, MATADI
North Africa: CASABLANCA, ALGIERS, TUNIS, TRIPOLILY
South Africa: DURBAN, CAPE TOWN, MAPUTO

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: SAFMARINE, PIL, MARUBA
Low shipping rates & long transit time: MSC, ESL, CSAV
High shipping rates & less transit time: DELMAS, MAERSK, NYK

Shipping to Australia/New Zealand

Main ports

ADELAIDE, BRISBANE, FREMANTLE, MELBOURNE, SYDNEY, AUCKLAND, WELLINGTON

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: CSCL, HAMBURG-SUD
Low shipping rates & long transit time: OOCL, SYMS, MISC
High shipping rates & less transit time: COSCO, MAERSK, PIL, MSC

Shipping to Canada

Main ports

VANCOUVER, TORONTO, MONTREAL

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: EMC, HPL, APL, ZIM
Low shipping rates & long transit time: MSC, NCL
High shipping rates & less transit time: HMM, YML

Shipping to America

Main ports

Eastern America: HOUSTON, NEW YORK, SAVANNAH, MIAMI
Western America: LOS ANGELES, SEATTLE, LONG BEACH, OAKLAND

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: PIL, EMC, COSCO, HPL, APL, ZIM
Low shipping rates & long transit time: MSC, NCL, NORAISA
High shipping rates & less transit time: CMA, MOSK, MAERSK, HMM, YML

Shipping to South America

Main ports

Eastern South America: BUENOS AIRES, MONTEVIDEO, SANTOS, PARANAGUA, RIO GRANDE, RIO DE JANEIRO, ITAJAI, ASUNCION, PECEM
Western South America: BUENAVENTURA, CALLAO, GUAYAQUIL, IQUIQUE, VAL PARAISO, SAN ANTONIO

Main shipping companies

Medium shipping rates & medium transit time: CSAV, CSCL, PIL, MARUBA
Low shipping rates & long transit time: EMC, HPL
High shipping rates & less transit time: MSK, NYK, HAMBURG-SUD