Worldwide Maritime Ports Dataset

This repository contains a JSON dataset of 5,410 worldwide maritime ports and points of interest (POIs) sourced in part from National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Publication 150 (World Port Index, 2019 edition). Fields include location, depth soundings, tidal range, entrance restrictions, vessel size, and more.

Dataset Structure

The file data/ports.json is a wrapped JSON object with a metadata block and a ports array.

Metadata Fields

Field	Description
schema_version	Dataset schema version
record_count	Total number of maritime port records
last_updated	Date last modified
source	Primary data source
coordinate_datum	World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84)
depth_unit	meters
coverage	Breakdown of enriched vs location-only records
attribution	Author and contact
disclaimer	Data use disclaimer

Maritime Port Record Fields

Field	Type	Description
wpi_port_id	integer / null	Unique World Port Index port number (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Publication 150)
wpi_port_name	string / null	Port name as listed in World Port Index
point_of_interest	string / null	City, facility, or place name
state	string / null	State or region
country	string / null	Country
latitude	float	World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) latitude, rounded to 2 decimal places
longitude	float	World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) longitude, rounded to 2 decimal places
port_size	string / null	Major, Minor, Small, or Very Small
channel_depth_min_m	float / null	Minimum controlling channel depth (m)
channel_depth_max_m	float / null	Maximum controlling channel depth (m)
anchorage_depth_min_m	float / null	Minimum anchorage depth (m)
anchorage_depth_max_m	float / null	Maximum anchorage depth (m)
cargo_pier_depth_min_m	float / null	Minimum cargo pier depth (m)
cargo_pier_depth_max_m	float / null	Maximum cargo pier depth (m)
oil_terminal_depth_min_m	float / null	Minimum oil terminal depth (m)
oil_terminal_depth_max_m	float / null	Maximum oil terminal depth (m)
mean_tidal_range_m	float / null	Mean tidal range (m)
entrance_restriction_tide	bool / null	Tide restricts entrance
entrance_restriction_heavy_swell	bool / null	Heavy swell restricts entrance
entrance_restriction_ice	bool / null	Ice restricts entrance
entrance_restriction_other	bool / null	Other natural factors restrict entrance
max_vessel_size	string / null	Maximum vessel size accommodated

Example JSON Entry

{
  "wpi_port_id": 100,
  "wpi_port_name": "REYKJAVIK",
  "point_of_interest": "Reykjavik",
  "state": null,
  "country": "Iceland",
  "latitude": 64.15,
  "longitude": -21.93,
  "port_size": "Minor",
  "channel_depth_min_m": 38.4,
  "channel_depth_max_m": 42.1,
  "anchorage_depth_min_m": 23.8,
  "anchorage_depth_max_m": 27.4,
  "mean_tidal_range_m": 4.0,
  "entrance_restriction_tide": true,
  "entrance_restriction_heavy_swell": false,
  "entrance_restriction_ice": false,
  "entrance_restriction_other": true,
  "max_vessel_size": "large vessels"
}

Example Usage

Find a maritime port by point of interest

import json

def find_port(file_path, name):
    with open(file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
        data = json.load(f)
    for port in data['ports']:
        if port.get('point_of_interest') == name:
            return port
    return None

result = find_port('data/ports.json', 'Reykjavik')
print(result)

Find all maritime ports within a channel depth range

import json

def find_ports_by_channel_depth(file_path, min_m, max_m):
    with open(file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
        data = json.load(f)
    return [
        p for p in data['ports']
        if p.get('channel_depth_min_m') is not None
        and min_m <= p['channel_depth_min_m'] <= max_m
    ]

deep_ports = find_ports_by_channel_depth('data/ports.json', 20.0, 50.0)
print(f"{len(deep_ports)} maritime ports found")

Use Cases

• Grounded Truth: For model training and validation.
• Routing: Developing maritime and logistic routes.
• ETA Predictions: Time of arrival calculations.
• Depth Analysis: Vessel draft and channel suitability screening.
• Tidal Planning: Operations dependent on tidal windows.

Data Sources

• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Publication 150 — World Port Index, 2019 edition. Depths are in meters at chart datum.
• Points of interest list compiled using various networking tools.

Contribution

Contributions and corrections are welcome:

• Submit issues or enhancements via the GitHub Issues page.
• Fork the repository and submit pull requests with updates or new data.

License

MIT License — Copyright (c) 2026 Jordan Taylor. See LICENSE for full terms.

Contact

Questions or contributions — reach out via LinkedIn.

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Disclaimer: Port particulars are not comprehensive and may change without notice. Depth values represent a single recorded sounding and do not account for multiple berths, shifting bottom conditions, silting, dredging, seasonal variation, or other factors that may alter actual depths. Tidal range, vessel size limits, and entrance restrictions reflect conditions at time of publication and may no longer be accurate. This dataset does not substitute for current nautical charts, Notices to Mariners, or official port authority guidance. Data may be in error. Use at your own risk.