Vessel Transit Time

In global trade, Transit Time refers to the duration a cargo vessel takes to navigate from the Port of Loading (POL) to the Port of Discharge (POD). Unlike road or air transport, sea transit is heavily influenced by nautical distance, engine efficiency, and environmental variables.

Primary Transit Variables:

• Canal Crossings: Transiting the Suez or Panama Canals adds predictable transit time but requires precise window booking to avoid idle waiting.
• Slow Steaming: To reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions, carriers may operate at speeds lower than the vessel's maximum design speed, extending the transit duration.

Accurate transit time modeling allows shippers to calculate their Inventory-in-Transit (IIT) costs�the capital tied up in cargo while at sea. Professional freight forwarders use this baseline to quote reliable ETDs and ETAs to their global customers.