Vessel Positions API
The latest AIS position and voyage data for any vessel
Overview
Vessel Positions API returns the most recent AIS position for any vessel, on request.
Positions come from the VesselFinder terrestrial AIS network, covering coastal waters, ports and principal shipping lanes.
Responses are returned as JSON, with optional Voyage and Master datasets included.
API Coverage Map
Available Datasets
- AIS - MMSI, IMO, name, callsign, AIS type, dimensions, coordinates, course, speed, heading, navigational status, draught, destination and its UN/LOCODE, ETA (as reported by the vessel), ECA zone flag
- Voyage - last port of call (name, country, UN/LOCODE) and time of departure
- Master - vessel type, flag, year built, builder, ownership, capacity, dimensions
Credits
This is a credit-based service. Buy a package of credits and spend them across any credit-based service:
Vessels,
PortCalls,
Expected Arrivals,
MasterData,
Distance.
You are charged per record returned, not per request, so asking for fifty vessels in one call costs the same as fifty separate calls and is considerably faster.
A request that returns no records costs nothing, and filtering parameters let you cap what a single request can return.
Credits are valid for 12 months, and every purchase resets the expiry across your entire balance. An account that keeps topping up does not lose credits.
Credit costs:
- AIS dataset: 1 credit per record
- Voyage dataset: 1 credit per record
- Master dataset: 2 credits per record
Credit Prices
- 5,000 credits: 175 EUR
- 10,000 credits: 330 EUR
- 20,000 credits: 625 EUR
- 50,000 credits: 1470 EUR
All credits are valid for 12 months after purchase.
Prices do not include VAT.
Sample use cases
1) Regular position updates for 10 vessels, every six hours:
One call every six hours returns all ten vessels in a single JSON response - 1,200 records a month (10 x 4 x 30).
1,200 credits per month.
2) Position plus last port of departure for 3 vessels:
The response carries both the AIS and Voyage datasets.
3 x 1 + 3 x 1 = 6 credits.
Full parameters, response fields and sample requests are in the API documentation.
For pricing, data samples or a trial, contact us.