United StatesUnited StatesNew York to Los Angeles shipping route.
4,998 nautical miles via Panama Canal, about 14.9 days of steaming at 14 knots.
Sea Distance Between Ports: New York and Los Angeles
Port to Port Distance on the map, along real shipping lanes.
New YorkPanama CanalLos AngelesShipping time from New York to Los Angeles
| 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 New York to Los Angeles shipping route
New York to Los Angeles is a 4,998 nautical mile shipping route via Panama Canal, heading west 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 New York and Los Angeles 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 New York to Los Angeles move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Los Angeles (USLAX) 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 New York in this directory, Los Angeles is the 24th shortest. Closer destinations include Piraeus (4,636 nm), Marsaxlokk (4,188 nm) and Genoa (4,064 nm).
FAQ
How many nautical miles from New York to Los Angeles?
The port to port distance from New York to Los Angeles is 4,998 nautical miles (9,257 km), via Panama Canal. The route passes Panama Canal.
What is the shipping time from New York to Los Angeles?
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 Los Angeles to New York has its own page with the same distance and route.
More port to port distance
- New York to Charleston644 nm
- New York to Savannah699 nm
- New York to
Montreal1,524 nm - New York to Houston1,921 nm
- New York to
Balboa2,025 nm - New York to
Cartagena2,235 nm - Oakland to Los Angeles385 nm
- Seattle to Los Angeles1,214 nm
- Vancouver to Los Angeles1,235 nm
Manzanillo to Los Angeles1,284 nm- Balboa to Los Angeles2,974 nm
- Cartagena to Los Angeles3,301 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.