Users can click and drag the map to move around the globe, highlight vessels on the map to find out more information, or use the ‘+’ an ‘-‘ symbols to zoom in or out, while the left-hand side of the screen has a range of more advanced options.Īside from the main web platform, the MarineTraffic service also has two separate mobile apps, which are available for Android and iOS devices. The main MarineTraffic web platform features a Live Map showing the positions of vessels. The first of these integrates with the services seen on the web platform, while the other is designed for boaters and hobbyists. However, in addition to this, two separate web apps exist. The main website is, in itself, the service’s web platform and from there, users will be able to search for, identify and track vessels. Additionally, the core features can be accessed from a range of different platforms. If all of this seems complicated and overly technical so far, the good news is that the actual MarineTraffic service itself is very easy to use, even for those with no technical knowledge of AIS technology whatsoever. In addition, there are also casual users who may utilise MarineTraffic to track friends or family members aboard a ship or vessel. Moreover, the platform has also been used by some national governments for security purposes because it allows them to monitor activity in and around their coastal areas.Īside from the groups mentioned, MarineTraffic has also grown into an important resource for journalists and media organisations, who have used it to inform reports on ISIS and the migrant crisis. One of the more surprising ways in which MarineTraffic is used is as a tool to assist emergency services with situational awareness and accident investigation. Interested parties can even apply for special academic accounts. Indeed, the service has set up the MarineTraffic Research Network, which is designed to assist academic institutions, research foundations and individual maritime researchers. MarineTraffic also enjoys popularity with maritime researchers and those interested in AIS technology. Furthermore, the website includes its own business directory, helping to put buyers and suppliers in contact with one another. Its primary use here is to track the progress of cargo being shipped overseas. Business and TradeĪnother key use for the MarineTraffic service is related to business and trade. Many of those within this group subscribe to the paid version of the service and dedicate their free time to voluntarily help the community, upload photographs and moderate content uploaded to the site. The core user group includes maritime professionals, ship spotters and other hobbyists. However, in reality, the service has a much wider audience than that. Who Uses MarineTraffic?Īn online ship tracking service may seem like the sort of platform that would only appeal to the most dedicated ship spotters, and it may not surprise you to learn that the site’s founder, Dimitris Lekkas, places himself within this category. It can subsequently be referred to for statistical analysis, emergency response purposes, accident investigation, and even to assess the effects of weather on speed. This can help to make tracking even more accurate and is stored as historical data within the database. Meanwhile, in addition to the automatic location tracking that is provided through the use of AIS technology, vessel positions are also often self-reported to MarineTraffic. ![]() While the information on the site largely revolves around picking up these AIS signals for tracking purposes, background information about the vessels, photographs of ships and an abundance of other information is also added and moderated by volunteers, who make up the core of the MarineTraffic community. MarineTraffic makes use of AIS vessel tracking technology to record 800 million vessel locations each month, while its database also includes information on ships, such as when and where they were built. ![]() ![]() The MarineTraffic service is available to use for free, although a paid version also exists, adding more advanced features. Little did he know, he was about to create one of the most important transport databases in the world. Essentially, the service was set up by Lekkas because he had an existing interest in computers and ship spotting and had become interested in the practical uses of AIS vessel tracking technology. It is widely recognised as the world’s most comprehensive maritime database and the service is able to boast more than six million unique monthly users, as well as more than one million registered account holders. MarineTraffic is a ship-tracking and maritime information service that was founded by Dimitris Lekkas in 2007. Always up-to-date – ship tracking with MarineTraffic
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