SEA DISTANCE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND CHARTERERS
Lagos to Rotterdam by sea
The sea distance from Lagos to Rotterdam is 4,230 nautical miles, about 13 days at 14 knots. The straight line across the globe is only 2,741 nm, but ships cannot sail over land.
Days at sea
Time under way only: add port, canal and anchorage time to plan the ETA.
| Speed | Days at sea |
|---|---|
| 10 knots | 18 |
| 12 knots | 15 |
| 14 knots | 13 |
| 16 knots | 11 |
| 20 knots | 8.8 |
Canals and straits on the way
In the order the ship meets them: Strait of Dover.
Zones on the route
Miles of this voyage inside each area, measured on the planned route.
| Area | Type | Miles inside |
|---|---|---|
| North Sea SOx+NOx ECA | Emission Control Area | 393 nm |
| Gulf of Guinea war-risk (Sep 2026) | JWC listed area | 144 nm |
| Gulf of Guinea (piracy) | Piracy hotspot | 317 nm |
| MDAT-GoG Voluntary Reporting Area | Voluntary reporting area | 2,010 nm |
| NW European waters (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 443 nm |
| North Sea (MARPOL Annex V Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 393 nm |
Emission Control Areas: the ECA guide. Piracy and war-risk areas: the piracy map.
Questions about Lagos to Rotterdam
How far is Lagos from Rotterdam by sea?
4,230 nautical miles (7,834 km), pilot station to pilot station, on real shipping lanes. The straight line across the globe is 2,741 nm, but a ship cannot sail over land, so the sea route is 54% longer.
How many days does a ship take from Lagos to Rotterdam?
About 15 days at 12 knots, 13 days at 14 knots or 8.8 days at 20 knots. That is time at sea only, with no port, canal or anchorage waiting.
Which canals and straits are on the route from Lagos to Rotterdam?
In order: Strait of Dover.
How many miles of the voyage are inside Emission Control Areas?
393 nm, in North Sea SOx+NOx ECA. Inside an ECA the fuel must carry no more than 0.10% sulphur, unless the ship uses an approved alternative such as a scrubber.
Does the route from Lagos to Rotterdam pass through piracy or war-risk areas?
Yes: 144 nm in the Gulf of Guinea war-risk (Sep 2026) (JWC listed area) and 317 nm in the Gulf of Guinea (piracy) (Piracy hotspot). Check the latest UKMTO and MSCIO advisories and your company's instructions before the voyage.
Which NAVAREAs does the voyage pass through?
NAVAREA II and NAVAREA I. Keep the in-force navigational warnings of each.
How this distance is worked out
NaviBoss routes on a network of professional shipping lanes that keeps right through traffic separation schemes. The distance runs from the pilot boarding place at Lagos (Lagos pilot boarding place) to the one at Rotterdam (Maas Center Buoy (Maascenter)), the same figure the planner gives for the two ports. Distances are great-circle nautical miles along that network. Seasonal Arctic routes are left out.
The same voyage the other way, Rotterdam to Lagos, is the same distance.
More sea distances
- Rotterdam to Singapore8,414 nm
- Rotterdam to Shanghai10,594 nm
- Rotterdam to Hong Kong9,835 nm
- Rotterdam to Busan10,906 nm
- Rotterdam to Mumbai6,462 nm
- Rotterdam to Colombo6,867 nm
- All sea distances
Plan it with your own ship
Open the planner, pick Lagos and Rotterdam, set your speed and departure: you get the ETA, every waypoint and the route file for your ECDIS. Free with an account.
Plan this voyage →About our guides
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.