What is the transit time between Rotterdam Port and Melbourne Port?

As an exporter you should check the transit time of the shipment before you give price offer to your customer. Remember you may need to find a faster shipment schedule for the same order, in case an emergency situation occurs later on whatever reason. 

Be cleaver, get multiple freight quotations from your forwarder with different lines in order respond well to any emergency situation. 

On this page I would like to explain the transit time between Rotterdam Port and Melbourne Port. I will be giving two examples of shipment schedules of the container lines that are working between these two important ports.

First of all, let us have a look at the general features of the ports in question.

Rotterdam Port, which is the busiest container port of Holland, is the 11th biggest container port of the world as of 2013 statistics. 

Port of Melbourne is one of the key container ports in Australia. 

The Port of Melbourne is the main seaport that is serving to Victoria region and south-eastern Australia. Melbourne Port also one of the largest international maritime hub for containerised cargo. 

As a result the transit time between Rotterdam Port and Melbourne Port is an important piece of information for exporters and importers using this container freight route.

Let me try to show you the transit time between Rotterdam Port and Melbourne Port via different container liners as belows.

What is the transit time between Rotterdam Port and Melbourne Port via MSC?


MSC follows Rotterdam, Sydney and Melbourne Port route with its own or chartered container vessels. The transit time is around 41 days via transshipment at Gioia Tauro Port, Italy.

MSC CRISTINA sailing schedule can be found below:
  • 2014 December 23th,  Rotterdam Port
  • 2015 January 30th, Sydney Port
  • 2015 February 02nd, Melbourne Port
You can search MSC's Rotterdam Port to Melbourne Port current vessel schedules from this link

This service use Suez Canal, Egypt.

What is the transit time between Rotterdam Port and Melbourne Port via Hamug Süd?


Hamburg Süd transports containers from Rotterdam Seaport, Holland to Melbourne Seaport, Australia with following destinations: Rotterdam Seaport, Antwerp Port , Cartagena Port, Melbourne Port route with its own or chartered container vessels.

The transit time is around 42 days. There are two transshipment exist in this service; the first transshipment at Antwerp Port and the second transshipment at Cartagena Port. 
This service use Panama Canal, Panama.

Hamburg Süd's vessel sailing schedule example can be found below:
  • 2014 December 08th, Rotterdam Port
  • 2014 December 09th, Antwerp Port (transshipment to Spirit of Hamburg)
  • 2015 January 23th, Cartagena Port (transshipment to Spirit of Singapore)
  • 2015 January 19th, Melbourne Port
You can search Hamburg Süd's Antwerp Port to Melbourne Port current vessel schedules from this link