Route Distances
How far is it by sea between the world's busiest ports? The table below lists 18 major container and bulk shipping lanes with the distance along real shipping routes - in nautical miles and kilometres - plus a rough transit time. They span the big trades: Asia to Europe through the Suez Canal, the transpacific run to the US West Coast, the transatlantic crossing, the Asia to US East Coast lanes, and Gulf oil routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Every distance is computed with the same routing engine the calculator uses, so you can reproduce any of them by entering the two ports in PortReckon yourself. The transit time assumes the default planning speed of 16 knots with no delays; change the speed or add delay factors in the tool to match a specific service. See How ETA Works for the method behind the time, and Major Sea Routes for the canals and straits these lanes pass through.
| Route (UN/LOCODE) | Distance (nmi) | Distance (km) | Transit at 16 kn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai (CNSHA) → Rotterdam (NLRTM) | 10,666 | 19,753 | 27.8 days |
| Shanghai (CNSHA) → Hamburg (DEHAM) | 10,926 | 20,234 | 28.5 days |
| Port of Hong Kong (HKHKG) → Rotterdam (NLRTM) | 9,871 | 18,282 | 25.7 days |
| Busan (KRPUS) → Rotterdam (NLRTM) | 10,999 | 20,370 | 28.6 days |
| Qingdao (CNQIN) → Piraeus (GRPIR) | 8,176 | 15,142 | 21.3 days |
| Shanghai (CNSHA) → Port of Los Angeles (USLAX) | 5,888 | 10,904 | 15.3 days |
| Busan (KRPUS) → Port of Los Angeles (USLAX) | 5,471 | 10,133 | 14.2 days |
| Ningbo (CNNGB) → Port of Los Angeles (USLAX) | 5,910 | 10,946 | 15.4 days |
| Yokohama (JPYOK) → Port of Los Angeles (USLAX) | 4,938 | 9,145 | 12.9 days |
| Rotterdam (NLRTM) → New York (USNYC) | 3,362 | 6,227 | 8.8 days |
| Hamburg (DEHAM) → New York (USNYC) | 3,510 | 6,501 | 9.1 days |
| Shanghai (CNSHA) → New York (USNYC) | 10,756 | 19,921 | 28.0 days |
| Shanghai (CNSHA) → Port of Savannah (USSAV) | 10,353 | 19,174 | 27.0 days |
| Port of Jebel Ali (AEJEA) → Rotterdam (NLRTM) | 6,278 | 11,627 | 16.3 days |
| Port of Jebel Ali (AEJEA) → Shanghai (CNSHA) | 5,696 | 10,548 | 14.8 days |
| Santos (BRSSZ) → Rotterdam (NLRTM) | 5,520 | 10,224 | 14.4 days |
| Melbourne (AUMEL) → Shanghai (CNSHA) | 5,214 | 9,656 | 13.6 days |
| port of Nhava Sheva (INNSA) → Rotterdam (NLRTM) | 6,435 | 11,918 | 16.8 days |
Distances are ideal for comparing one lane against another, but a real schedule depends on the vessel, its speed, the weather, and time spent in port. Treat these as planning figures rather than guaranteed transit times, and use the calculator to explore how speed and delays change the arrival.
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.