Ports & Routes
Global Port Intelligence
| Path | Records | Actual median | P25–P75 range | TS dwell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct | 146 | 31.8d | 31.8–32.8 d | — |
| via Lamu | 23 | 39.8d | 38.8–43.8 d | 12.0d |
All values are actuals from tracked container records. Paths flagged low n have fewer than 20 records and should be read as directional.
The median transit time is 31.8 days. This is based on 90 containers tracked end-to-end on this exact direct path.
Most containers arrive within 31.8–32.8 days (P25–P75 of 169 tracked records on this lane). Plan with this range, not a single number.
The shipping distance from Dar Es Salaam to Colombo is approximately 2,824 nautical miles (5,230 km).
MSC line operates direct service on this lane in our tracked dataset.
Yes. Tracked transshipment options include: Lamu (39.8d total, 23 records).
Approximately 42.6 days door-to-door. The median gate-in dwell at Dar Es Salaam is 8.0 days. Vessel sail time from Dar Es Salaam to Colombo is 31.8 days. The median gate-out dwell at Colombo is 2.82 days.
Container shipping from Dar Es Salaam to Colombo spans approximately 2,824 nautical miles, equivalent to 5,230 kilometres of sea route. Our tracked dataset for this lane includes 169 records across qualifying paths. Of those, 90 containers were tracked end-to-end on the direct path (literally booked from Dar Es Salaam to Colombo with no transshipment). The median sail time on direct service is 31.8 days. Most shipments arrive within 31.8 to 32.8 days, the P25–P75 range covering the middle half of observed transits.
The typical door-to-door figure is 42.6 days. Median gate-in dwell at Dar Es Salaam is 8.0 days, representing the time a container spends at the origin terminal between arrival at the gate and loading onto the vessel. Vessel sail time from Dar Es Salaam to Colombo is 31.8 days. Median gate-out dwell at Colombo is 2.82 days, covering discharge and the time before pickup at the destination terminal.
Direct service — meaning no transshipment between origin and destination — is the dominant routing on this corridor. It is supported by 146 leg-level observations on the direct segment. Of those, 90 were containers literally booked direct from Dar Es Salaam to Colombo and tracked end-to-end on this exact path. MSC operates the dominant tracked direct service. On the direct segment, the median sail time is 31.8 days, and the P25–P75 range runs from 31.8 to 32.8 days.
One transshipment alternative is present in the dataset. The Lamu-routed path takes a median of 39.8 days based on 23 records, with a P25–P75 range of 38.8 to 43.8 days. Median dwell at the hub terminal on this path is 12.0 days.
For planning purposes, treat the 31.8 to 32.8 day P25–P75 range as the realistic arrival window for direct service. About half of all observed direct shipments fell within that 1.0-day spread. When committing door-to-door dates to consignees, account for an additional 8.0 days of gate-in dwell at Dar Es Salaam and 2.82 days of gate-out dwell at Colombo on top of the chosen sail time.