Sea distance from Mombasa to Shanghai
The sea route from Mombasa (Kenya) to Shanghai (China) is about 6,385 nautical miles, which is 11,826 km or 7,348 statute miles. The route transits Strait of Malacca. That is about 25% longer than the direct great-circle line, because the practical route follows coastlines and shipping lanes.
Voyage time by boat speed
Time underway is distance divided by speed. These are continuous-passage figures with no stops or weather margin.
| Boat and speed | Time underway |
|---|---|
| Sailboat, conservative (5 kn) | 53d 5h |
| Sailboat, average (6 kn) | 44d 8h |
| Displacement trawler (8 kn) | 33d 6h |
| Fast trawler (10 kn) | 26d 15h |
| Planing motor yacht (15 kn) | 17d 18h |
| Fast motor yacht (20 kn) | 13d 7h |
Planning estimate, not navigation
This distance is computed over the open Eurostat shipping-lane network. It is a realistic passage length for planning, but your sailed distance will differ with weather routing, currents, draft, and the exact berths you leave from and arrive at. Always verify against official charts.
Building with these numbers? The sea route & distance API returns this figure, voyage time, and route geometry for any port pair in one GET request.
Plan this passage properly
Open Mombasa to Shanghai in the Marine OS route planner: it suggests the sea route, then you drag waypoints, set your speed and fuel burn, and check weather and tides along the way.
Open this route in the plannerFrequently asked questions
How far is Shanghai from Mombasa by sea?
About 6,385 nautical miles (11,826 km / 7,348 statute miles) along the practical sea route, which transits Strait of Malacca. The straight-line distance is shorter, but boats follow coastlines, channels, and traffic lanes.
How long does it take to sail from Mombasa to Shanghai?
At a typical sailing average of 6 knots it is about 44d 8h underway. A 10-knot trawler needs about 26d 15h, and a 20-knot motor yacht about 13d 7h. Add margin for weather, currents, and stops.
How is this distance calculated?
It is computed over the open Eurostat global shipping-lane network, the same kind of network freight routing tools use. It is a realistic planning estimate, not a navigation product: your sailed distance will vary with weather routing, draft, and the exact harbors you use.
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