A fully loaded Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) departing Saudi Arabia (e.g., Ras Tanura) on June 18, 2026, will take roughly 35 to 50 days to reach either port, depending on the route chosen and current geopolitical chokepoints.
Because massive supertankers are too deep and heavy to navigate the Suez Canal fully loaded, they must choose between two primary paths:
To Los Angeles, California
Distance: ~ 10,000 to 10,500 nautical miles.
Route & Time: The fastest path traverses the Indian Ocean and Strait of Malacca, bypassing the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Traveling at an average cruising speed of 13 to 15 knots, it will take roughly 35 to 42 days of continuous sailing.
To Louisiana (US Gulf Coast)
Distance: ~ 11,500 to 12,500 nautical miles.
Route & Time: To reach the US Gulf Coast, tankers cannot go through the Suez Canal fully loaded, nor can they use the Panama Canal due to draft restrictions and size limits. Therefore, they must sail around the southern tip of Africa (the Cape of Good Hope). This massive detour typically takes 45 to 50 days of transit time.
