SEA DISTANCE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND CHARTERERS
Rotterdam to Colombo by sea
The sea distance from Rotterdam to Colombo is 6,867 nautical miles via the Suez Canal, about 20 days at 14 knots. Without the Suez Canal it is 10,618 nm via the Cape of Good Hope, 3,751 nm more. The straight line across the globe is only 4,554 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 | 29 | 44 |
| 12 knots | 24 | 37 |
| 14 knots | 20 | 32 |
| 16 knots | 18 | 28 |
| 20 knots | 14 | 22 |
Canals and straits on the way
In the order the ship meets them: Strait of Dover → Strait of Gibraltar → Strait of Sicily → Suez Canal → Bab el-Mandeb.
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 | 1,952 nm |
| North Sea SOx+NOx ECA | Emission Control Area | 396 nm |
| S. Red Sea & Gulf of Aden (ITF/IBF WOA) | ITF/IBF warlike area | 775 nm |
| Gulf / Arabian Sea / S. Red Sea war-risk (Sep 2026) | JWC listed area | 1,912 nm |
| UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area | Voluntary reporting area | 3,305 nm |
| Mediterranean (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 1,951 nm |
| Red Sea (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 1,226 nm |
| Gulf of Aden (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 494 nm |
| NW European waters (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 445 nm |
| North Sea (MARPOL Annex V Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 396 nm |
Emission Control Areas: the ECA guide. Piracy and war-risk areas: the piracy map.
Questions about Rotterdam to Colombo
How far is Rotterdam from Colombo by sea?
6,867 nautical miles (12,718 km) via the Suez Canal, pilot station to pilot station, on real shipping lanes. The straight line across the globe is 4,554 nm, but a ship cannot sail over land, so the sea route is 51% longer.
How many days does a ship take from Rotterdam to Colombo?
About 24 days at 12 knots, 20 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 Rotterdam to Colombo without the Suez Canal?
10,618 nm via the Cape of Good Hope, 3,751 nm more: about 11 extra days at 14 knots.
Which canals and straits are on the route from Rotterdam to Colombo?
In order: Strait of Dover, Strait of Gibraltar, Strait of Sicily, Suez Canal and Bab el-Mandeb.
How many miles of the voyage are inside Emission Control Areas?
2,348 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 Rotterdam to Colombo pass through piracy or war-risk areas?
Yes: 775 nm in the S. Red Sea & Gulf of Aden (ITF/IBF WOA) (ITF/IBF warlike area) and 1,912 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 I, NAVAREA II, NAVAREA III, NAVAREA IX and NAVAREA VIII. 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 Rotterdam (Maas Center Buoy (Maascenter)) to the one at Colombo (Colombo Boarding Ground A), 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, Colombo to Rotterdam, 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
- Mundra to Rotterdam6,310 nm
- All sea distances
Plan it with your own ship
Open the planner, pick Rotterdam and Colombo, 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.