FAQ

Can I use this to navigate at sea?

No. PortReckon is for planning and visualization only. Routes and times are estimates and are not certified for navigation. Always use official charts and an approved navigation system at sea.

How are the route and ETA calculated?

The route follows real shipping lanes between your stops, falling back to a straight-line estimate if none is found. The ETA is the sea distance divided by your effective speed plus any fixed delay, so it is a planning estimate, not a guarantee. The full method is described in How ETA Works.

Why is the sea distance longer than a straight line?

Ships cannot sail across land, so a sea route bends around coastlines and through canals and straits. The distance is therefore almost always longer than the great-circle ("as the crow flies") distance between the same two ports. The canals and straits that shape these routes are covered in Major Sea Routes.

What do the "avoid Suez / Panama / Hormuz" options do?

They tell the router to plan the voyage without that passage, as if it were closed. The route redraws along the next-best path - for example, around the Cape of Good Hope instead of through the Suez Canal - so you can compare the extra distance and time a disruption would add.

How accurate is the ETA?

It is a planning figure. The distance along shipping lanes is realistic, but the time depends entirely on the speed and delays you enter. Real voyages are affected by weather, currents, traffic, and port operations that the tool does not model, so treat the ETA as a comparison aid rather than a promised arrival.

Can I add a stop along the way?

Yes. Use the waypoint field to add one intermediate point; the route is then drawn origin → waypoint → destination, and the distance and ETA cover the whole journey.

What units are used?

Distance in nautical miles (nmi) and kilometres (km); speed in knots, with a live km/h conversion. One nautical mile is 1.852 km. Terms like these are defined in the Glossary.

Which ports can I search?

The bundled dataset covers 14,269 seaports worldwide, each with a UN/LOCODE. Most commercial ports are included; very small or inland facilities may not be. Search by city name or by code.

Does it remember my route, or track my location?

Your current ports and settings are kept in your browser for the session, so a refresh does not lose them, but nothing is uploaded and no vessel or personal location is tracked. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Is it free?

The tool is free and needs no account. There are no ads; if you find it useful, an optional "buy me a coffee" link helps cover hosting costs. The Privacy Policy explains how analytics are handled.

Can I change the language?

Yes. Use the language buttons at the top of the page. English lives at the root of the site and Korean under a /ko/ path (for example, /ko/faq); the buttons switch you between them while keeping you on the same page.

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.