Top 15 Ship Tracking Websites To Find Your Ship Accurately
The rapid advancement of technology has significantly improved monitoring and tracking of ships recently. In addition, the fast-developing satellite services have made ship tracking across the globe easier now, thus ensuring the safety of vessels from various threats.
With the help of satellite-based vessel monitoring systems (VMS), different types of vessels have been 3. Shipfinder is monitored efficiently by marine agencies and vessel owners for a long period.
The automatic identification system (AIS) helps track bigger vessels crossing waters worldwide by offering real-time information about the vessels.
Currently, several websites provide ship tracking using the automatic identification system to display the real-time location of the ships.
With the help of transponders equipped on the vessels, the satellites will collect AIS signals from the vessels to provide their position, route, speed, and ship type through various online platforms.
Moreover, the introduction of Google Earth has revolutionized ship tracking, allowing access to every detail of almost all ships within seconds.
However, since various online services provide vessel tracking information, the purpose of the content provided varies.
It is important to note that ship tracking through these online platforms is often meant for educational purposes.
However, many of these services are also used to track different types of cargo ships, such as container ships.
Though most of these service providers promise a “real-time” location of the ships, the data displayed is always behind by a few minutes or even several hours. Thus, this information should NEVER be used for navigation purposes.
Here, we list a few prominent websites widely used for near-accurate online ship tracking.
These vessel trackers provide the ship’s location, technical and non-technical details, designated routes, and photographs.
Notable Vessel Tracking Websites
1. Marine Traffic
Marine Traffic, one of the most famous and widely used online ship tracking systems, offers ships’ real-time data and advanced search features.
It offers vessel owners many services, including satellite AIS coverage, enhanced satellite tracking, advanced density maps, nautical charts, etc.
Apart from tracking ships, Marine-Traffic also allows the tracking of various Ports around the world. Moreover, the AIS system of the website boasts a massive database of ships of every type.
Marine traffic records at least 800 million vessel positions and 18 million vessel and port related events monthly. In addition, it offers information about 650000 marine assets such as vessels, ports, lights, etc.
This open, community-based project offers many services free of cost, while more advanced functions come with a fee.
The website operates more than 2000 AIS stations located in over 165 countries and has over 600,000 registered users and around 20 million visits to its website every month.
2. FleetMon
FleetMon, another open database of ships and ports worldwide, offers real-time AIS position data of ships, along with technical information on over 500000 vessels.
It provides the vessel’s particulars, schedules and port arrivals, trading patterns and photos according to the customer’s search.
Using its interactive tool FleetMon Explorer, you can see a real-time view of the marine traffic and access information on operations monitoring, logistics scheduling, fleet tracking, traffic analysis, etc.
Established in 2007, FleetMon currently has customers across 164 countries. Fleet Mon is one of the finest ship tracking services, offering iPhone and iPad apps.
3. Shipfinder
This is another widely used ship tracking service online that allows one to find ships through various options such as ship number, tonnage, capacity, ownership, construction, etc.
This online service collects AIS ship feeds used by vessels over 300 tonnes, passenger vessels and small vessels like yachts to provide real-time information to its customers.
It also keeps track of the user’s search history to provide a better user experience and offers premium paid membership for advanced users.
4. VesselFinder
Established in 2011, VesselFinder offers real-time data on more than 100,000 vessels daily with the help of a large network of terrestrial AIS receivers.
Offering services across digital, social and mobile platforms, VesselFinder offers efficient monitoring services, port calls, master data and a detailed voyage history of each ship. In addition, it also provides historical AIS Data services that deliver customized ship movement reports, analysis of traffic density and video simulation of vessel movements, among others.
5. Vesseltracker
With a database of more than 1,000,000 vessels, Vesseltracker provides customized real-time and historical data on vessels voyaging worldwide. It helps users monitor vessels with the help of map views and layers, including Google Satellite, Google Earth, nautical charts, etc.
The website has a huge database comprising updated vessel specifications, characteristics, ownership and management information, etc. In addition, Vesseltracker offers analytics and reports on vessel movements and port events.
6. VT Explorer
VT Explorer offers users real-time AIS position data and technical information of more than 100,000 ships daily. Apart from the required information, the website also provides images of all the vessels being tracked.
Available to use from both your personal computer and mobile, VT Explorer helps monitor ship schedules and arrivals to analyze trading patterns.
7. myshiptracking
myshiptracking is another advanced website that provides real-time positions of vessels worldwide. With its large database, myshiptracking allows users to monitor vessels and ports efficiently to analyze marine traffic worldwide. The website also allows you to save your browsing data and offers its service to iPhone and Android users through mobile apps.
8. Cruisemapper
Unlike other online vessel monitoring websites, CruiseMapper offers information on the positions and schedules of cruise ships serving tourists worldwide.
With its Cruise ships and ports database, the website provides information on each cruise’s features and technical specifications and information for major ports that house the cruise ships.
9. Ship location
On the ship location website, one can track 80,000 sea and river-going vessels, know the status of 17,000 ports and marinas, 1400 cruise ports, 1000 shipyards and much more.
It is designed for ship owners, managers, logistics companies and agencies. Even individuals can use it for ship tracking.
The website has three useful maritime tools-
- Distance calculator- for calculating port-to-port distance via different routes.
- Maritime locator- which helps in tracking ship-related services
- Ship tracker- helps in tracking ships using geographical coordinates
Among all, the maritime locator and the ship tracker are immensely useful. The locator saves time by allowing a person to search for the closest commercial or cruise ports or shipping services, such as repair yards, ship agencies, bunkers, etc.
10. Baltic Shipping
Baltic Shipping strives to maintain the world’s most advanced seafarers database. All the professionals in the shipping industry can use this website. Individuals can develop their careers and find new job openings from reputed maritime companies.
It allows people to keep all the documents in one place, and they can be easily shared with the companies. One can also monitor the expiration date of the documents, and the system will keep everything updated automatically. The registration is also very simple.
Another important service provided by the website is vessel tracking and vessel search. It has a huge database for different vessels. You can get information about that particular vessel by putting in the vessel’s name, IMO number and vessel type.
11. Alltrack
Alltrack allows one to search for a ship by its name/ IMO/MMI number. One can also scroll down and choose from the elaborate database directly. One can track their vessels or ships live and see the ports on the map. Hence, it offers live ship tracking free.
The website is user-friendly and has a simple interface. It also offers other services like air cargo tracking, postal tracking, and courier tracking and provides tracking links.
12. Marine vessel traffic
This website offers many services. It has around 112,000 ships in its database and information about more than 1000 shipyards, allowing vessel tracking by name.
The website does not use its tracking technology but integrates Vesselfinder and Marine traffic on its platform. It’s a great idea; one can find all vessel-related information anywhere.
Also, there is a fleet list of major cruising companies, and the fare discounts offered. One can book their cruise ship tickets here as well. Since COVID-19 hit, the website also shows the names of ships infected with COVID-19.
The website also has tools like a plane tracker, distance calculators, IMPA Codes, air cargo tracker, baltic dry index, nautical charts, incoterms, weather tracker, etc.
13. Marine Online
Marine Online is an e-commerce company based in Singapore that offers important marine-related services to shipowners. It has a website as well that allows for vessel tracking and provides services like vessel karting, ship supply, crewing, marine insurance, bunkering, etc.
This website provides access to basic and advanced container ship tracking information free of charge. Data fields such as vessel, route info, estimated time of arrival, and next port of call are available at the tip of your fingers.
Registered customers can also access the fleet management function and charter info like contacts of operators and technical managers. However, it is important to know that most tracking data is free of charge.
14. Datalastic
This website allows real-time vessel tracking and monitoring. One can access information on all vessels worldwide without any geographical limitations.
The website is not free, and one can choose from the given plans- Starter, Experimenter and Developer Pro+.
The website’s Live ships tracking REST API allows one to access vessel data like the ship’s location, estimated arrival time, deadweight tonnage, navigational status, destination, etc.
One can put in the MMSI number of the vessel for tracing it, or one can specify the type of vessel one needs to track and give additional info like gross tonnage of the ship, its name, etc., to get quick results.
The ship tracker tool has a profound database comprising 36 vessel types and over 300 subtypes.
15. AISHub
What makes AISHub different from other vessel tracking websites is access to the raw AIS feeds. The aim of this website is to be a raw NMEA AIS data-sharing centre and a valuable reservoir of data for all individuals and professionals interested in developing AIS-related software.
The website has a map and a tracker showing the number and location of the vessels plying in the world. One can click on a country or region and get the status of the number of vessels there.
Conclusion
Ship-tracking websites have drastically changed how ships and consignments are tracked, and marine traffic is monitored. These websites offer a wealth of information with just one click, allowing us to see the vessel’s position in real-time. One can easily get access to the up-to-date and latest info on the ship’s movement, current location, speed and direction.
These websites enable us to track ships across the globe, which is important for businesses involved in shipping and providers of shipping services.
Whether you are a maritime professional, a ship enthusiast, or someone who likes to track maritime traffic, ship-tracking websites are important tools that allow you to get all the information about a particular ship or even fleet easily and readily.
Over to you.
Do you know any other important ship tracking service that should be added to the list of marine trackers?
Let us know in the comments below.
You might also like to read:
- The Long Range Tracking and Identification (LRIT) System: Tracking and Monitoring Ships
- The Importance of Vessel Tracking System
- How is Ship Container Tracking Done?
- Automatic Identification System (AIS): Integrating and Identifying Marine Communication Channels
- What is ETD and ETA in Shipping?
Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with any website mentioned above. The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. If used in the article, data and charts have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendations on any course of action to be followed by the reader.
The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight.
About Author
Raunek Kantharia is a marine engineer turned maritime writer and entrepreneur. After a brief stint at the sea, he founded Marine Insight in 2010. Apart from managing Marine Insight, he also writes for a number of maritime magazines and websites.
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we are one of the lolcal ship service providedr to Vessels calling to indian ports. we required vessel details to service for their needful. We want ship owenrs and master details for corresponding. we are pay any subscribe
we are in the US and have found http://www.maritrace.com to be better, faster and cheaper than all of these…hands down no comparison…its live Sat AIS at the price of all the delays above. a few things need fine tuning but its better than listed above.
I have one more container tracking website in my knowledge i.e. http://www.shippingexchange.com/container-tracking
One can track here shipping, container, trucking, courier, etc.
Nice.Thanks for sharing this information with us. This is really helpful for logistics firms.
e-crewing agency also launches a securely-tracked tracking real-time service
I recommend ShipLocation.com
bigoceandata is also certainly worth a look and beats others on both price and functionality.
Many modern vehicle tracking devices combine both active and passive tracking abilities.
Guys
Do you know a website where I can get the vessels e-mail?
Thank you
Thank you for very useful content. shipsgo can be included in this list. It is a very useful site for live container tracking.
I heard Kpler has developed a great tracking system.
Which sites allow for a large “fleet” to be tracked? Marine tracker only allows 5 in the fleet for free.
@Simon: There are many websites, however, the free account has limited access in all of them.
Dear All,
How could i get in touch with a vessel by sending and E-MAIL when knowing his name? how to communicate with the captain before ETA?
My company is a Ship supply company based in DOUALA -CAMEROON.
What happened to the “Findship” app. Seems everyone is getting a network error message for the last week or so. It was a great free app!John
shiptracker provides a collection of the largest plattforms. You can easily switch between platforms and take advantage of each one.
Hi. Having read you great piece above, it struck me you don’t include Seasearcher from LLoyd’s List Intelligence. https://maritimeintelligence.informa.com/products-and-services/lloyds-list-intelligence/seasearcher
Lloyd’s List Intelligence Seasearcher is the most reliable source of information
on the world’s shipping fleets, their vessels, location and ownership.
This uniquely powerful vessel tracking and data tool integrates human intelligence with terrestrial and satellite AIS to offer greater accuracy and reliable information. And, unlike other solutions, it’s exclusive relationship with the Lloyd’s Agency Network means it’s the only vessel tracking tool that can offer verified port arrivals and departures at the click of a button.
Kind regards
Gordon.
What happened to findship pro . Cannot find any ships anymore
Do not forget for MarineVesselTraffic
Please we need the find ship app, there’s no any other one like it. All the remaining ones are not working well.
For me also FindShip or FindShip_Pro the best and very good simple app to find ships; although currently not working anymore. As read previous comments does somebody know what happened here? and if the app is still available for Iphone? For me this was the overall best app for on Iphone.
For tracking commercial vessels, check out SignalOcean.com.
Not only does it help with monitoring commercial vessels but also assessing tonnage availability, viewing of position lists, helping folks to find the best vessels for their cargoes, view fixtures, calculate distances, check bunker prices and more…
@John: Thank you for the addition. ??
Hi friends,
I am finding vessel email address. Is there any way to find it for free. Because i just started my business and finding emails for free. Is there any Whatsapp or Facebook group please suggest me on my email address. I will be very thank full to you.
Marine traffic is not that reliable, in my personal experience when trying to find out ships that call a particular port, it does not pull all data as others, try it out and find by yourself.
Thank you Lucas for sharing your experience ??
DO NOT USE VESSELTRACKER, after signing up I realized their service was not what I wanted, so I requested several times for cancelling my bill (of course on next period) and they have two different domain registed for emailing, but it is the SAME people who simply did not attended my request, I had to cancel my credit card so I was not charged.
They kept trying to charge me even I requested several times with enough time for them to process but they just passed the ball.
After a month and something they shamelessly notified my subscription was cancelled. I can provide all email and screenshots with dates if needed.
Please see http://www.bigoceandata.com for reliable and sophisticated vessel tracking. From single vessel to multiple fleet. Really friendly and supportive company to do business with.
I found Datalastic. com
very easy and intuitive
Am somehow unable to reach them Clariska. Can you help ?
There is any (website) way to find out vessel’s master email.
Hi,This autumns we launched Maritime Optima, and you can create a free user account on our web site. You will find AIS information on more than 60 000 vessels (vessels with AIS A) and the vessels are sorted into segments and sub-segments. We have just signed a 5 years contract with Orbcomm for access to AIS data.
Maritime Optima is also available as apps on mobile devices (iPhones and Android phones).
Besides vessel tracking, you will find advanced search for creating group / lists of vessels. You can add info layers such as weather, Loadline, INL, polar code etc, switch between satellite and default map designs, and still have access to all the vessels.
You can add the list of vessels you have created as layers to your map.
You will also find a vessel questionnaire template, a notebook for your personal notes (you can add personal notes about any of the vessel) and port information.
We have an exciting roadmap for 2021 but we also invite users to comment and give feedback and you can reach us in the in-app chat or by e-mail.
We have also made a user guide where you can learn how to use Maritime Optima
Welcome to Maritime Optima, we would love to see you as users of our software.
I recommend using https://www.maritimeoptima.com/! I’ve used it for student projects and despite the software being pretty new it’s very robust in the data it offers and they launch new features all the time for free. Specifically, I’ve used the site for tasks such as tracking vessels, as the software makes it super easy to apply filters and create groups of vessels that I’ve saved and revisited later. It’s also great because other sites often make you pay while Maritime Optima allows users to register and create an account for free which is especially nice being a student.
I want to know when Grande Angola GRA0121 will land at Tema port
Guys how can I know the location of a ship, or how can I track a ship?
No. You need to contact the company for that