United StatesUnited StatesLos Angeles to New York shipping route.
4,998 nautical miles via Panama Canal, about 14.9 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: Los Angeles and New York
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
Los AngelesPanama CanalNew YorkShipping time from Los Angeles to New York
| Route | Distance | 12 kn | 14 kn | 18 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| via Panama Canal (shortest) | 4,998 nm | 17.4 d | 14.9 d | 11.6 d |
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About the Los Angeles to New York shipping route
Los Angeles to New York is a 4,998 nautical mile shipping route via Panama Canal, heading north east from the United States to the United States. That is 9,257 km of water against 3,953 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.
Pure steaming time is 14.9 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 17.4 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 11.6. Container transit time on a liner service is longer than the steaming time: ships call at other ports on the rotation, and cargo may transship at a hub. Add terminal time at Los Angeles and New York to plan the full ocean transit time.
575 nm of the route, 12% of it, lies inside North American ECA. In an emission control area ships must burn fuel with no more than 0.1% sulphur or clean the exhaust with scrubbers. That fuel costs more, and carriers add it to the ocean freight bill as a low sulphur or ECA surcharge.
Container freight rates on Los Angeles to New York move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At New York (USNYC) carriers give about 4 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.
Of the 65 port to port routes from Los Angeles in this directory, New York is the 13th shortest. Closer destinations include Tokyo (4,916 nm), Yokohama (4,905 nm) and Savannah (4,591 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from Los Angeles to New York?
The port to port distance from Los Angeles to New York is 4,998 nautical miles (9,257 km), via Panama Canal. The route passes Panama Canal.
What is the shipping time from Los Angeles to New York?
About 14.9 days at 14 knots and 11.6 days at 18 knots of steaming, without port calls. Scheduled liner services add calls and transhipment.
How much of the route is in an emission control area?
575 nm sit inside ECA waters (North American ECA), where ships burn 0.1% sulphur fuel.
Is the return route the same?
The reverse route New York to Los Angeles has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- Los Angeles to Oakland385 nm
- Los Angeles to Seattle1,214 nm
- Los Angeles to
Vancouver1,235 nm - Los Angeles to
Manzanillo1,284 nm - Los Angeles to
Balboa2,974 nm - Los Angeles to
Cartagena3,301 nm - Charleston to New York644 nm
- Savannah to New York699 nm
- Montreal to New York1,524 nm
- Houston to New York1,921 nm
- Balboa to New York2,025 nm
- Cartagena to New York2,235 nm
How we count: sea routes follow shipping lanes and canals, time is pure steaming at 14 knots without port calls. Engine navo-distance-time 0.3.0. See all sea distance between ports or the Shipping Routes Directory.