SEA DISTANCE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND CHARTERERS
Ras Tanura to Rotterdam by sea
The sea distance from Ras Tanura to Rotterdam is 6,538 nautical miles via the Suez Canal, about 19 days at 14 knots. Without the Suez Canal it is 11,265 nm via the Cape of Good Hope, 4,727 nm more. The straight line across the globe is only 2,571 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 | Via the Cape of Good Hope |
|---|---|---|
| 10 knots | 27 | 47 |
| 12 knots | 23 | 39 |
| 14 knots | 19 | 34 |
| 16 knots | 17 | 29 |
| 20 knots | 14 | 23 |
Canals and straits on the way
In the order the ship meets them: Strait of Hormuz → Bab el-Mandeb → Suez Canal → Strait of Sicily → Strait of Gibraltar → Strait of Dover.
Zones on the route
Miles of this voyage inside each area, measured on the planned route.
| Area | Type | Miles inside |
|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean ECA | Emission Control Area | 1,942 nm |
| North Sea SOx+NOx ECA | Emission Control Area | 393 nm |
| S. Red Sea & Gulf of Aden (ITF/IBF WOA) | ITF/IBF warlike area | 884 nm |
| Persian Gulf, Hormuz & Gulf of Oman (ITF/IBF WOA) | ITF/IBF warlike area | 636 nm |
| Gulf / Arabian Sea / S. Red Sea war-risk (Sep 2026) | JWC listed area | 2,811 nm |
| UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area | Voluntary reporting area | 3,126 nm |
| Mediterranean (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 1,952 nm |
| Red Sea (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 1,222 nm |
| Gulfs area (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 663 nm |
| Oman area, Arabian Sea (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 575 nm |
| Gulf of Aden (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 536 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 Ras Tanura to Rotterdam
How far is Ras Tanura from Rotterdam by sea?
6,538 nautical miles (12,108 km) via the Suez Canal, pilot station to pilot station, on real shipping lanes. The straight line across the globe is 2,571 nm, but a ship cannot sail over land, so the sea route is 154% longer.
How many days does a ship take from Ras Tanura to Rotterdam?
About 23 days at 12 knots, 19 days at 14 knots or 14 days at 20 knots. That is time at sea only, with no port, canal or anchorage waiting.
How much longer is Ras Tanura to Rotterdam without the Suez Canal?
11,265 nm via the Cape of Good Hope, 4,727 nm more: about 14 extra days at 14 knots.
Which canals and straits are on the route from Ras Tanura to Rotterdam?
In order: Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, Suez Canal, Strait of Sicily, Strait of Gibraltar and Strait of Dover.
How many miles of the voyage are inside Emission Control Areas?
2,335 nm, in Mediterranean ECA and 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 Ras Tanura to Rotterdam pass through piracy or war-risk areas?
Yes: 884 nm in the S. Red Sea & Gulf of Aden (ITF/IBF WOA) (ITF/IBF warlike area), 636 nm in the Persian Gulf, Hormuz & Gulf of Oman (ITF/IBF WOA) (ITF/IBF warlike area) and 2,811 nm in the Gulf / Arabian Sea / S. Red Sea war-risk (Sep 2026) (JWC listed area). Check the latest UKMTO and MSCIO advisories and your company's instructions before the voyage.
Which NAVAREAs does the voyage pass through?
NAVAREA IX, NAVAREA III, 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 Ras Tanura (Ras Tanura) 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 Ras Tanura, 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 Ras Tanura 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.