About PortReckon
PortReckon is a free, browser-based tool for maritime route planning. Pick an origin and a destination seaport - and, if you like, a waypoint in between - and it draws a sea route on an interactive map, measures the distance, and estimates the transit time and arrival. It is meant to give a fast, visual answer to a simple question: how far apart are two ports by sea, and roughly how long does a vessel take to travel between them?
What you can do with it
- Search 14,269 seaports worldwide by city name or UN/LOCODE and place them as your origin, destination, or waypoint.
- See the route drawn along real shipping lanes, with the distance in nautical miles and kilometres.
- Estimate an ETA from your own vessel speed, with optional slowdown and fixed-delay factors for weather, congestion, and canal transits.
- Reroute around three major chokepoints - the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal, and the Strait of Hormuz - to compare how a closure changes the distance and time.
The port dataset
Searches run over a bundled dataset of 14,269 seaports, each with a UN/LOCODE, a city and country, and coordinates. Because the data ships with the app, search is instant and works even on a flaky connection. Most commercial ports are covered; very small or inland facilities may not be.
How routing and ETA work
Routes are computed in your browser against a sea-network dataset, so a route is drawn without any server round-trip. When a point cannot be matched to the network, the tool falls back to a straight-line (great-circle) estimate and says so. The ETA is derived from the sea distance and your chosen speed and delays - the full calculation is explained in How ETA Works. New terms are defined in the Glossary.
Who it is for
PortReckon is useful for freight forwarders and shippers sketching a lane, students learning how sea logistics works, and anyone curious about the geography of world trade. It is a planning and teaching aid, not a booking system or a vessel tracker.
Cost and privacy
The tool is free to use, with no account required. There are no ads; an optional "buy me a coffee" link helps cover hosting. How analytics are handled is described in the Privacy Policy. Common questions are answered in the FAQ.
Routes and times are estimates for planning and visualization only. They are not certified for navigation.
Routes are for planning/visualization only and are not certified for navigation.
This website is provided "as is", for general information and planning only, with no warranty of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the operators of this website accept no responsibility or liability for any loss, damage, cost, or decision arising from use of the site or reliance on its routes, distances, or ETA estimates. Use at your own risk.