Suez Canal
CanalEgypt
The Suez Canal is a sea-level canal in Egypt linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. Opened in 1869 and running about 193 km, it is the shortest maritime route between Asia and Europe.
Why the Suez Canal matters
Roughly one tenth of global seaborne trade transits the Suez Canal, making it the backbone of the Asia–Europe trade lane. Using the canal spares vessels the detour around the Cape of Good Hope, saving thousands of nautical miles and more than a week of sailing on a typical Asia–North Europe rotation. Any disruption — groundings, geopolitical tension in the Red Sea, capacity restrictions — immediately ripples through schedules, freight rates and European port congestion.
Safecube gives you door-to-door visibility on container shipments, with live vessel positions and predictive ETAs on every trade lane.
Major shipping routes via the Suez Canal
1341 of our covered port-to-port routes transit the Suez Canal. The most significant ones, ranked by carrier coverage at both ends:
| Route | Distance |
|---|---|
| Shanghai Hamburg | 10,842 nm |
| Shanghai Antwerpen | 10,569 nm |
| Hamburg Qingdao | 11,106 nm |
| Hamburg Hong Kong | 10,067 nm |
| Antwerpen Qingdao | 10,834 nm |
| Hamburg Ningbo | 10,728 nm |
| Antwerpen Hong Kong | 9,795 nm |
| Hamburg Singapore | 8,634 nm |
| Hamburg Kaohsiung | 10,304 nm |
| Antwerpen Ningbo | 10,456 nm |
| Shanghai Felixstowe | 10,517 nm |
| Antwerpen Singapore | 8,362 nm |
| Antwerpen Kaohsiung | 10,031 nm |
| Hamburg Bangkok | 9,449 nm |
| Hamburg Xiamen | 10,292 nm |
Frequently asked questions
What does the Suez Canal connect?
The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Bordering countries: Egypt.
How many shipping routes use the Suez Canal?
Among the 4950 port-to-port routes covered by Seadex, 1341 transit the Suez Canal.
Why is the Suez Canal strategically important?
Roughly one tenth of global seaborne trade transits the Suez Canal, making it the backbone of the Asia–Europe trade lane. Using the canal spares vessels the detour around the Cape of Good Hope, saving thousands of nautical miles and more than a week of sailing on a typical Asia–North Europe rotation. Any disruption — groundings, geopolitical tension in the Red Sea, capacity restrictions — immediately ripples through schedules, freight rates and European port congestion.