Major international shipping routes

The main international shipping routes are:

International shipping routes are generally divided into three categories by navigation area and distance: short-sea routes, deep-sea routes, and international ocean routes. To understand the alignment of each route, refer to World major shipping route maps and route types; for transshipment, see What is a transshipment port? Introduction to major global transshipment ports; for the trade-off between direct and transshipment, see Direct vessels vs. transshipment vessels.

Near-Sea Routes

In China, the area east of the Suez Canal, including Oceania, is customarily classified as the near-sea shipping route region. (1) Hong Kong-Macao Route (2) Vietnam Route (3) Japan Route (4) North Korea Route (5) Singapore-Malaysia Route (6) Philippines Route (7) Australia-New Zealand Route (including ports in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and islands of Oceania) (8) Indonesia Route (9) Russia Route (including routes in the Russian Far East) (10) Bay of Bengal Route (including ports on the east coast of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar) (11) North Kalimantan Route (including ports in North Borneo, Sarawak, and Brunei) (12) Persian Gulf Route (including Pakistan, the west coast of India, and ports along the Persian Gulf) (13) Sri Lanka Route (14) Gulf of Siam Route (including ports in Thailand and Cambodia)

Ocean Routes

In China, it is customary to divide the region west of the Suez Canal, including Africa, Europe, and North and South America, into the ocean-going route area of "main international maritime shipping routes." (1) East African routes (including ports on the east coast of Africa south of Somalia and ports in Madagascar and Mauritius) (2) West African routes (including ports on the west coast of Africa west of Gibraltar) (3) Northwest European routes (including coastal ports in Europe north of Gibraltar) (4) Central and South American routes (including ports in Central and South America south of Mexico) (5) U.S. East Coast routes (including Boston, New York, Norfolk, etc.) (6) U.S. West Coast routes (including Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, etc.) (7) Canadian East Coast routes (including Montreal, Toronto, etc.) (8) Canadian West Coast routes (including Vancouver, etc.) (9) Northern Mediterranean routes (including ports on the northern shore of the Mediterranean from west of Turkey to Gibraltar) (10) Southern Mediterranean routes (including ports on the southern shore of the Mediterranean from west of Syria to Gibraltar, as well as ports in Malta and Cyprus) (11) Red Sea routes (including ports along the Red Sea coast from west of Aden and Djibouti to the port of Suez) (12) Albanian routes (13) Romanian routes (14) Cuban routes (15) Eastern European routes

International Ocean Routes

International ocean routes refer to shipping routes that connect one or more oceans.

1. Pacific Ocean Routes

The Pacific Ocean routes include the following four: (1) Routes from the Far East and North America to Australia and New Zealand (2) Routes from the Far East to ports on the North American Pacific Coast and the North American Atlantic Coast (3) Routes from major North American ports to Southeast Asia (4) Routes from North America and Europe via the Panama Canal to ports on the South American Pacific Coast

2. Atlantic Ocean Routes

The Atlantic Ocean routes include the following five: (1) Routes from North America to Europe (2) Routes from the East Coast of North America to the East Coast of South America (3) Suez Canal routes, i.e., routes from North America and Northwest Europe via Gibraltar, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific (4) Routes from North America and Europe to West Africa, Central and Southern Africa, and routes around the Cape of Good Hope to the Indian Ocean (5) Routes from Europe to South America

3. Indian Ocean Routes

The Indian Ocean routes include the following four: (1) Routes connecting the eastern and western Indian Ocean (2) Routes connecting countries in the northern Indian Ocean (3) Routes connecting countries along the east coast of Africa (4) Routes connecting countries along the Persian Gulf 

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International Ocean Shipping Main Routes FAQ

Q: How are short-sea and deep-sea routes divided?

A: In China, the Suez Canal is traditionally used as the dividing line—routes east of the canal (including Oceania) are considered short-sea, while routes west of the canal (Africa, Europe, North and South America) are considered deep-sea. This is a traditional business classification; in recent years, there has also been a method based on sailing distance.

Q: Which route carries the most Chinese exports?

A: The Trans-Pacific route (US route) and the Asia-Europe route are the two main arteries for Chinese exports. Regional routes such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South America are also becoming increasingly busy as trade volumes grow.

Disclaimer: This article was compiled by the Bofeng Logistics team and content was verified in August 2026. Route and port information may change due to adjustments in shipping company calls, market and policy changes. Please refer to the information confirmed at the time of booking.