Summary of major global shipping routes

The sea route refers to the route where ships are engaged in the transportation of passengers and goods at sea between two or more ports. The routes of maritime transportation are distributed among the oceans. When choosing the routes, we must fully consider various factors such as cargo, ships and ports. So what are the main shipping routes around the world?



Pacific route
1. Far East—North America West Coast Route
The route includes trade routes from China, Korea, Japan, the Soviet Union and other far eastern seaports to Canada, the United States, Mexico and other ports on the west coast of North America.

2. Far East—Caribbean, North America East Coast route
This route often arrives after passing through the Hawaiian Islands from the north to the Panama Canal. Most of the ships departing from the coastal ports in northern China leave the East China Sea via the Osumi Strait or the Ryukyu Anmei Big Island.

3. Far East—South America West Coast Route
Many ships departing from the ports along the northern coast of China pass through Ryukyu Anmei Big Island. The Sulphur Islands, Wake Island, and the Lane Islands to the south of the Hawaiian Islands cross the equator into the South Pacific Ocean to the ports on the west coast of South America.

4. Far East—Southeast Asia route
This route is the main route for Chinese, Korean and Japanese cargo ships to ports in Southeast Asia, and to the Indian Ocean and ports along the Atlantic Ocean via the Strait of Malacca. The East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, Bus Strait, and South China Sea are the only roads for ships on this route, and the route is busy.

Northwest Europe routes
1. Northwest Europe, North America East Coast—Caribbean route
The Northwest Europe—Caribbean route mostly crosses the North Atlantic after leaving the English Channel. Together with ships departing from various ports on the east coast of North America, it generally passes through Mona and enters the Caribbean Sea towards the Wind Channel. In addition to the ports along the Caribbean Sea, it can also reach the ports on thePacific coast of theAmericas through the Panama Canal.

2. Northwest Europe, North America East Coast-Mediterranean Sea, Suez Canal-Asia Pacific route
Northwest Europe, North America, East Asia—Mediterranean-Suez route is the busiest flight segment in the world. It is a shortcut for trade between North America, Northwest Europe and the Asia-Pacific Gulf region. The route usually passes through Azores, the terminal on the Madeira Islands.

3. Northwest Europe, Mediterranean Sea—East Coast of South America
The route usually passes through the West African Atlantic island—Canary, the terminal on the Cape Verde Islands.

4. Northwest Europe, North America, East China Sea—Cape of Good Hope, Far East Airlines
This route is generally the oil route of giant tankers. The Cape Verde Islands and the Canary Islands are the main terminals where passing ships dock.

5. South America East China Sea—Cape of Good Hope—Far East route
This is a transportation line mainly based on oil and ore. The route is in the west wind drifting sea area, and the wind and waves are large. Generally, the westward flight is northbound and the eastward flight is southbound.

Indian Ocean Route
The Indian Ocean routes are dominated by oil transportation lines, and many of them are transit transportation of bulk cargoes.

1. Persian Gulf—Good Hope—Western Europe, North America routes
The route is mainly operated by super tankers and is the most important offshore oil transportation line in the world.

2. Persian Gulf—Southeast Asia—Japan route
The route runs east via the Straits of Malacca (ships below 200,000 DWT are feasible) or Lombok, and Makassar Channel (super tankers above 200,000 DWT are feasible) to Japan.

3. Persian Gulf—Suez Canal—Mediterranean—Western Europe, North America transportation line
At present, the route can pass super tankers with a capacity of 300,000 tons.

4. World Container Shipping Line
At present, the main shipping container routes in the world are:
1. Far East—North America route
2. North America—Europe and Mediterranean routes
3. European, Mediterranean—Far East routes
4. Far East—Australia route
5. Australia, New Zealand—North America routes
6, Europe, Mediterranean—West Africa, South Africa routes