Sea distance from Los Angeles to Rotterdam
The sea route from Los Angeles (United States) to Rotterdam (Netherlands) is about 7,855 nautical miles, which is 14,548 km or 9,040 statute miles. The route transits Panama Canal and Strait of Dover. That is about 62% longer than the direct great-circle line, because the practical route follows coastlines and shipping lanes.
Voyage time by boat speed
Time underway is distance divided by speed. These are continuous-passage figures with no stops or weather margin.
| Boat and speed | Time underway |
|---|---|
| Sailboat, conservative (5 kn) | 65d 11h |
| Sailboat, average (6 kn) | 54d 13h |
| Displacement trawler (8 kn) | 40d 22h |
| Fast trawler (10 kn) | 32d 18h |
| Planing motor yacht (15 kn) | 21d 20h |
| Fast motor yacht (20 kn) | 16d 9h |
Planning estimate, not navigation
This distance is computed over the open Eurostat shipping-lane network. It is a realistic passage length for planning, but your sailed distance will differ with weather routing, currents, draft, and the exact berths you leave from and arrive at. Always verify against official charts.
Building with these numbers? The sea route & distance API returns this figure, voyage time, and route geometry for any port pair in one GET request.
Plan this passage properly
Open Los Angeles to Rotterdam in the Marine OS route planner: it suggests the sea route, then you drag waypoints, set your speed and fuel burn, and check weather and tides along the way.
Open this route in the plannerFrequently asked questions
How far is Rotterdam from Los Angeles by sea?
About 7,855 nautical miles (14,548 km / 9,040 statute miles) along the practical sea route, which transits Panama Canal and Strait of Dover. The straight-line distance is shorter, but boats follow coastlines, channels, and traffic lanes.
How long does it take to sail from Los Angeles to Rotterdam?
At a typical sailing average of 6 knots it is about 54d 13h underway. A 10-knot trawler needs about 32d 18h, and a 20-knot motor yacht about 16d 9h. Add margin for weather, currents, and stops.
How is this distance calculated?
It is computed over the open Eurostat global shipping-lane network, the same kind of network freight routing tools use. It is a realistic planning estimate, not a navigation product: your sailed distance will vary with weather routing, draft, and the exact harbors you use.
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