Rotterdam to Thames

Netherlands → United Kingdom · 74 records · Updated today
20.3d
at sea
28.4d
door-to-door
14.4–20.5 d typical (P25–P75)
Route comparison 1 path · 74 leg observations
Maersk
Direct
20.3d
74records
Maersk (73) · also MSC (1) · P25–P75 14.4–20.5 d
Add 4.13d gate-in at Rotterdam and 4.0d gate-out at Thames for door-to-door totals. Times are sail-only and exclude port dwell.

Path breakdown

PathRecordsActual medianP25–P75 rangeTS dwell
Direct 7420.3d14.4–20.5 d

All values are actuals from tracked container records. Paths flagged low n have fewer than 20 records and should be read as directional.

Frequently asked questions

How long does container shipping take from Rotterdam to Thames?

The median transit time is 20.3 days. This is based on 7 containers tracked end-to-end on this exact direct path.

What is the typical range of transit times from Rotterdam to Thames?

Most containers arrive within 14.4–20.5 days (P25–P75 of 74 tracked records on this lane). Plan with this range, not a single number.

What is the sea distance from Rotterdam to Thames?

The shipping distance from Rotterdam to Thames is approximately 144 nautical miles (266 km).

Which shipping lines operate the Rotterdam to Thames route?

Maersk line operates direct service on this lane in our tracked dataset.

Are there transshipment options on the Rotterdam to Thames route?

No transshipment paths are present in the tracked dataset for this lane — containers observed move directly from Rotterdam to Thames.

What is the typical door-to-door time from Rotterdam to Thames?

Approximately 28.4 days door-to-door. The median gate-in dwell at Rotterdam is 4.13 days. Vessel sail time from Rotterdam to Thames is 20.3 days. The median gate-out dwell at Thames is 4.0 days.

About This Route

Container shipping from Rotterdam to Thames spans approximately 144 nautical miles, equivalent to 266 kilometres of sea route. Our tracked dataset for this lane includes 74 records across qualifying paths. Of those, 7 containers were tracked end-to-end on the direct path (literally booked from Rotterdam to Thames with no transshipment). The median sail time on direct service is 20.3 days. Most shipments arrive within 14.4 to 20.5 days, the P25–P75 range covering the middle half of observed transits.

The typical door-to-door figure is 28.4 days. Median gate-in dwell at Rotterdam is 4.13 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 Rotterdam to Thames is 20.3 days. Median gate-out dwell at Thames is 4.0 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 74 leg-level observations on the direct segment. Of those, 7 were containers literally booked direct from Rotterdam to Thames and tracked end-to-end on this exact path. Maersk operates the dominant tracked direct service. Containers carried by MSC also traversed this corridor without an intermediate transshipment, generally as sub-segments of longer journeys. On the direct segment, the median sail time is 20.3 days, and the P25–P75 range runs from 14.4 to 20.5 days.

For planning purposes, treat the 14.4 to 20.5 day P25–P75 range as the realistic arrival window for direct service. About half of all observed direct shipments fell within that 6.1-day spread. When committing door-to-door dates to consignees, account for an additional 4.13 days of gate-in dwell at Rotterdam and 4.0 days of gate-out dwell at Thames on top of the chosen sail time.

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