The real cost: Rotterdam → Singapore
Via the Suez Canal, Rotterdam to Singapore covers about 8383 nautical miles, roughly 24.9 days at 14 knots, and an estimated 4,400 tonnes of CO2 for a typical container ship.
Rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope instead, the same voyage stretches to about 11871 nautical miles — 3,488 nm further — taking roughly 35.3 days (+10.4 days) and emitting an estimated 6,300 tonnes of CO2, about 1,900 tonnes more than the Suez route — for one ship, one way.
Multiply that across the thousands of Asia-Europe sailings still avoiding the Red Sea, and the detour represents a meaningful, ongoing addition to shipping's carbon footprint that has little to do with vessel efficiency or fuel choice.
Frequently asked questions
How much further is the Cape of Good Hope route than the Suez Canal?
On the Rotterdam to Singapore route, going around the Cape of Good Hope instead of through the Suez Canal adds about 3,488 nautical miles and 10.4 days at 14 knots. The exact difference depends on the specific ports involved — use the calculator above to check any route.
Why are container ships avoiding the Suez Canal?
Since late 2023, Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have pushed most container lines to reroute Asia-Europe traffic around the Cape of Good Hope instead of through the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, even though it adds thousands of nautical miles to the voyage.
How much extra CO2 does the Cape of Good Hope diversion add?
For a typical container ship on the Rotterdam to Singapore route, rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope adds roughly 1,900 tonnes of CO2 per one-way voyage compared to the Suez Canal route, simply from the extra distance and time at sea.
Will shipping lines go back to using the Suez Canal?
Most carriers say they'll return once the security situation in the Red Sea stabilizes, but as of 2026 the Cape of Good Hope remains the default routing for most East-West container traffic, and Suez Canal transits remain well below pre-diversion levels.