How to use the Suez Canal toll calculator
- Choose the vessel type. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) groups ships into 13 rate categories, from crude oil tankers (Rate 1) to "other vessels" (Rate 13).
- Enter the Suez Canal Net Tonnage (SCNT). It is on the ship's Suez Canal Special Tonnage Certificate. Do not use gross or net tonnage under the 1969 Tonnage Convention: SCNT is measured differently and is usually higher.
- Select laden or ballast, and the direction. Ballast rates are lower. Direction only changes the surcharge for vehicle carriers.
- Check the surcharge. The calculator fills in the official temporary surcharge in force since 15 Jul 2026. If the SCA changes it, type the new figure.
- Update the exchange rate. Dues are set in Special Drawing Rights (SDR). Enter the day's USD per SDR rate from the IMF for an up-to-date dollar figure.
How Suez Canal tolls are calculated
Suez Canal transit dues are charged on the ship's SCNT in bands. The first 5,000 tons are charged at the highest rate, the next 5,000 at a lower rate, and so on, so large ships pay less per ton overall. Each band has a laden and a ballast rate in SDR per SCNT. On top of the normal dues, the SCA currently levies a temporary surcharge that depends on the vessel type, plus a lump-sum service charge in US dollars.
Transit dues rates, SDR per SCNT (laden / ballast)
From SCA Circular 7/2023, in force since 15 Jan 2024 and still the current base schedule.
| Vessel type (SCA rate) | First 5,000 | Next 5,000 | Next 10,000 | Next 20,000 | Next 30,000 | Next 50,000 | Next 60,000* | The rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude oil tanker (1) | 11.04 / 9.40 | 7.82 / 6.64 | 5.91 / 5.04 | 2.93 / 2.50 | 2.53 / 2.14 | 2.17 / 1.85 | — | 2.13 / 1.82 |
| Petroleum product tanker (2) | 11.04 / 9.40 | 7.82 / 6.64 | 5.91 / 5.04 | 3.93 / 2.50 | 3.84 / 2.14 | 3.46 / 1.85 | — | 3.34 / 1.82 |
| Dry bulk vessel (3) | 10.13 / 8.62 | 7.74 / 6.58 | 6.12 / 5.21 | 2.24 / 1.89 | 1.97 / 1.68 | 1.85 / 1.58 | — | 1.77 / 1.50 |
| LPG carrier (4) | 11.60 / 9.87 | 8.40 / 7.14 | 6.22 / 5.29 | 5.05 / 4.30 | 4.42 / 3.76 | 4.13 / 3.51 | — | 4.13 / 3.51 |
| LNG carrier (5) | 10.42 / 8.87 | 8.11 / 6.89 | 7.02 / 5.97 | 5.43 / 4.61 | 5.03 / 4.27 | 4.80 / 4.08 | — | 4.67 / 3.97 |
| Chemical / other liquid bulk tanker (6) | 11.55 / 9.81 | 8.92 / 7.58 | 7.12 / 6.06 | 5.19 / 4.42 | 4.63 / 3.94 | 4.35 / 3.70 | — | 4.27 / 3.63 |
| Containership (7) | 11.04 / 9.40 | 7.58 / 6.45 | 5.89 / 5.00 | 4.13 / 3.51 | 3.82 / 3.25 | 3.01 / 2.56 | 2.94 / 2.52 | 2.88 / 2.44 |
| General cargo / multi-purpose / heavy lift (8) | 10.08 / 8.58 | 7.78 / 6.62 | 5.42 / 4.61 | 4.07 / 3.45 | 3.94 / 3.36 | 3.87 / 3.30 | — | 3.80 / 3.22 |
| Ro-ro vessel (9) | 10.08 / 8.58 | 7.50 / 6.37 | 5.83 / 4.97 | 4.21 / 3.59 | 3.94 / 3.36 | 3.80 / 3.22 | — | 3.65 / 3.12 |
| Vehicle carrier (PCC / PCTC) (10) | 11.04 / 9.40 | 7.58 / 6.45 | 5.67 / 4.83 | 4.05 / 3.45 | 3.82 / 3.25 | 3.01 / 2.56 | — | 2.88 / 2.44 |
| Cruise ship (11) | 9.97 / 8.48 | 7.00 / 5.96 | 5.77 / 4.91 | 4.08 / 3.48 | 4.03 / 3.42 | 3.90 / 3.31 | — | 3.76 / 3.19 |
| Special floating unit (yacht, dredger, rig, tug…) (12) | 11.98 | 7.94 | 7.14 | 5.06 | 4.76 | 4.31 | — | 4.16 |
| Other vessels (13) | 10.54 / 8.96 | 7.10 / 6.04 | 5.97 / 5.08 | 4.35 / 3.70 | 4.21 / 3.59 | 3.94 / 3.36 | — | 3.80 / 3.22 |
* Only containerships have a separate "next 60,000" band. Special floating units have one rate whether laden or in ballast. Ballast petroleum product tankers and ballast oil/chemical tankers pay ballast crude-oil-tanker rates; ballast combined carriers (OBO) pay ballast dry-bulk rates.
Temporary surcharges from 15 Jul 2026
The SCA raised its surcharges by 12 percentage points for most ship types, and introduced 12% surcharges for containerships and for southbound vehicle carriers. It describes them as temporary measures that can be amended or cancelled according to market conditions.
| Vessel type | Surcharge | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Crude oil tanker | 37% laden / 27% ballast | Periodical 16/2026 |
| Petroleum product tanker | 37% laden / 27% ballast | Periodical 17/2026 |
| Dry bulk vessel | 22% | Periodical 18/2026 |
| LPG carrier | 32% | Periodical 19/2026 |
| LNG carrier | 19% | Periodical 20/2026 |
| Chemical / other liquid bulk tanker | 32% | Periodical 21/2026 |
| Containership | 12% of total dues | Circular 2/2026 |
| General cargo / multi-purpose / heavy lift | 26% | Periodical 22/2026 |
| Ro-ro vessel | 26% | Periodical 23/2026 |
| Vehicle carrier (PCC / PCTC) | 26% northbound / 12% southbound | Periodical 24/2026 |
| Cruise ship | None | no surcharge for passenger/cruise ships |
| Special floating unit (yacht, dredger, rig, tug…) | 26% | Periodical 25/2026 |
| Other vessels | 26% | Periodical 26/2026 |
Service charge
Since 15 May 2026 (SCA Circular 1/2026) mooring is carried out from shore stations and each ship must carry its own compliant searchlight. A lump-sum service charge applies: USD 3,800 for ships of 2,500 GT and above and USD 2,350 below 2,500 GT. A ship without a compliant searchlight is fined USD 500 per transit.
Worked example: laden bulk carrier, 30,000 SCNT
A dry bulk vessel of 30,000 SCNT transits northbound, laden:
| Band | Calculation | SDR |
|---|---|---|
| First 5,000 | 5,000 × 10.13 | 50,650 |
| Next 5,000 | 5,000 × 7.74 | 38,700 |
| Next 10,000 | 10,000 × 6.12 | 61,200 |
| Next 20,000 (10,000 used) | 10,000 × 2.24 | 22,400 |
| Normal dues | 172,950 | |
| Dry bulk surcharge | 22% × 172,950 | 38,049 |
| Transit dues | 210,999 |
At USD 1.35388 per SDR (IMF, 6 Nov 2026) that is about USD 285,667, or about USD 289,467 with the USD 3,800 service charge.
What the estimate does not include
- Tug charges, where the SCA requires escort or assisting tugs for the ship's size, draught or type.
- Port pilotage, for example at Port Said, whose rates were revised from 15 July 2026 (Circular 3/2026).
- Agency fees, port dues, waiting time at anchorage and the USD 500 searchlight fine.
- Rebates and incentives. None is applied. The 15% rebate for containerships of 130,000 SCNT and above was suspended from 7 April 2026 (Periodical 3/2026).
SENA Ship Management is based in Ismailia, the home of the Suez Canal Authority. For a firm figure before a transit, contact our team.