CAPE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND CHARTERERS
The Cape of Good Hope
The voyage round the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas is the way between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean when the Suez Canal is not used. On Santos to Shanghai it saves 855 nm: 11,041 nm through it, 11,897 nm without.
Voyages through the Cape of Good Hope
Real voyages NaviBoss plans through the Cape of Good Hope, and the distance when the planner's padlock shuts it.
| Voyage | Through it | Without it | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santos to Shanghai | 11,041 nm | 11,897 nm | +855 nm |
| Tubarao to Shanghai | 10,885 nm | 12,264 nm | +1,379 nm |
| Richards Bay to Rotterdam | 7,116 nm | 7,909 nm | +794 nm |
Zones here
At the Cape of Good Hope: Southern South African waters (MARPOL Special Area) (MARPOL Special Area).
See the piracy map and the ECA guide.
Navigational warnings
The Cape of Good Hope is in NAVAREA VII. Keep its in-force warnings, and check the local notices and the vessel traffic service before the transit.
Questions about the Cape of Good Hope
Where is the Cape of Good Hope?
The voyage round the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Agulhas is the way between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean when the Suez Canal is not used. NaviBoss places it at about 35°05.1′S 021°31.0′E, in NAVAREA VII.
How much distance does the Cape of Good Hope save?
On Santos to Shanghai, 855 nm: 11,041 nm through the Cape of Good Hope against 11,897 nm without it. At 14 knots that is about 2.5 days.
Which voyages go through the Cape of Good Hope?
For example Santos to Shanghai, Tubarao to Shanghai and Richards Bay to Rotterdam.
Is the Cape of Good Hope in a piracy or war-risk area?
Not as of the date on this page: it lies in no ITF/IBF warlike area, JWC listed area or piracy hotspot that NaviBoss draws.
Other canals and straits
- Suez Canal
- Panama Canal
- Kiel Canal
- Corinth Canal
- Strait of Gibraltar
- Strait of Dover
- Bab el-Mandeb
- Strait of Hormuz
- Malacca Strait
- Singapore Strait
- Sunda Strait
- Makassar Strait
- Torres Strait
- Taiwan Strait
- Tsugaru Strait
- Bosporus
- Dardanelles
- Øresund (The Sound)
- Strait of Messina
- Strait of Sicily
- Strait of Bonifacio
- Strait of Magellan
- Bass Strait
- Windward Passage
- Straits of Florida
- Strait of Juan de Fuca
- San Bernardino Strait
- Verde Island Passage
- Balabac Strait
- Pentland Firth
Avoid it on your own voyage
In the planner, tap the padlock on the Cape of Good Hope (or any of 950 passages) and the route is re-planned the other way, with the extra miles shown. Free with an account.
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NaviBoss guides are written and checked by maritime industry experts, masters and deck officers. Each one is built from the same data the planner uses, dated, and rebuilt when that data changes. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.
A planning aid, not for navigation. Check official charts and publications, the latest notices and your company's instructions before you rely on any figure here.