When Red Sea risk or Canal queues move the goalposts, owners need a fast way to test Cape versus Canal. This mini-calculator keeps it simple: distance, speed, fuel, tolls, and premiums. You get days, fuel tons, total voyage cost, and a clear “pick this route” recommendation, plus quick presets you can tweak.
Fast, defensible math for schedule and cost. Adjust the presets to your vessel and voyage.
Inputs you control: distance, speed, fuel, tolls, premiumsOutputs: days, fuel tons, total voyage cost, deltaOptional: carbon cost (EU ETS proxy)
Quick presets
Choose a vessel profile and (optional) example lane to prefill speed/consumption and distances. Always replace with your chartered distances.
Note: Distances are example placeholders—replace with your planner’s numbers.
Canal route inputs
Cape route inputs
Vessel & fuel
Revenue view (optional)
If you enter a TCE, the tool will show voyage margin after time costs.
Recommendation
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Run a calc to compare total cost and days.
Cost delta
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Positive means Canal cheaper; negative favors Cape.
Time delta
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Days saved vs the other route.
Route comparison (voyage totals)
Days
Fuel (t)
Fuel $
Carbon $
Other $
Total $
Canal
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Cape
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Use your chartered distances and current premiums. This is a planning aid, not a substitute for voyage routing or formal risk assessment.
Voyage margin view (if TCE provided)
Revenue ($)
Cost ($)
Margin ($)
Canal
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Cape
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Choose the route that delivers the best mix of certainty, cost, and safety. Run the calculator with today’s real inputs, sanity check a few sensitivities, and commit early so bunker planning, crew, and laycan stay aligned. If totals are close, pick the option that removes the biggest unknowns and protects schedule with clean documentation.
Owner decision checklist
Distances and weather windows
Confirm both routes with your planner before you price anything.
Live vessel performance
Use actual service speed and daily consumption. Avoid brochure figures.
Fuel and carbon pricing
Quote today’s bunker price and any carbon cost. Test plus or minus twenty percent.
Line-by-line extras
Add tolls, war-risk, security, pilotage, and insurance deltas for each route.
Time buffers
Include queue or delay days for Canal and a weather buffer for the Cape of Good Hope.
Reservation discipline
If using a canal, plan to hit the 15:00 cut-off and pre-approve an auction ceiling.
Cape readiness
If using the Cape, pre-arrange bunkers and piracy risk measures. Check crew hours and stores.
Normalize the comparison
Convert totals into dollars per day and days saved so you compare like for like.
Decision threshold
If totals are within three to five percent, choose the route with fewer operational risks and stronger schedule certainty.
Charter party updates
Align clauses for carbon cost sharing, deviation triggers, and laycan flexibility before you sail.
