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Guides, answers and best practices for tracking vessels, reading the live map, managing alerts, and building with the ShipFinder API.

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Get Quick Started
Learn the basics and start tracking vessels with ShipFinder.
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Vessel Tracking
Learn how to search, track, and monitor vessels in real time.
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Live Maps & Charts
Explore live vessel maps, nautical charts, and weather overlays.
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Fleet Management
Manage your fleet, organize vessels, and monitor fleet activity.
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Alerts
Set up alerts to stay informed about important vessel activities.
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Payment & Billing
Manage your subscription, payments, invoices, and billing information.
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API
Explore ShipFinder APIs for global vessel tracking and maritime data.
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Maritime glossary

Plain-language definitions for AIS, vessel and voyage terms — organised A–Z.
AIS IMO MMSI SOG COG Draught ETA
View all terms →

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to the things people ask before reaching out.

Tracking a vessel with ShipFinder is quick and easy.

  1. Search for a vessel using its name, IMO, or MMSI.
  2. Select the vessel from the search results.
  3. View real-time position, voyage information, ETA, and more on the vessel page.

For detailed instructions, please refer to How to Track a Vessel or Port

You can quickly locate a port on the ShipFinder map.

  1. Go to the ShipFinder homepage.
  2. Enter the port name in the search bar.
  3. Select the correct port from the search results.

The map will show the port location and nearby vessel traffic.

For detailed instructions, please refer to How to Track a Vessel or Port

The available historical track period depends on your subscription plan:
  • Free Plan: View up to 7 days of historical tracks.
  • Professional Plan: View up to 6 months of historical tracks.
Need access to longer historical records?
ShipFinder provides up to 15 years of historical AIS data for enterprise and custom projects. If you require extended historical tracks, please contact our sales team to discuss a tailored solution. shipfinder@elaneglobal.com

Both terrestrial AIS and satellite AIS provide vessel tracking information, but they differ in how the data is collected and the areas they cover.
  • Terrestrial AIS is received by land-based stations and provides high-frequency updates for vessels sailing near coastlines, ports, and inland waterways.
  • Satellite AIS is collected by satellites, enabling vessel tracking across the open ocean and other remote areas beyond the range of terrestrial stations.
In general, terrestrial AIS is ideal for coastal monitoring, while satellite AIS offers global coverage for offshore and long-distance vessel tracking. Using both data sources together provides the most complete view of vessel movements worldwide.

ShipFinder provides highly accurate vessel tracking based on AIS (Automatic Identification System) data collected from both terrestrial stations and satellites.
In most cases, vessel positions are accurate to within a few meters, as they are transmitted directly from the vessel's onboard AIS equipment. However, the accuracy and update frequency may vary depending on factors such as AIS signal availability, satellite coverage, the vessel's transmission rate, and environmental conditions.
By combining terrestrial AIS with satellite AIS, ShipFinder delivers reliable tracking coverage for both coastal waters and the open ocean.

Not all vessels are visible at all times. This may be due to one or more of the following reasons:
  • The vessel's AIS transponder is turned off or not transmitting.
  • The vessel is outside AIS coverage or experiencing signal limitations.
  • The vessel has not transmitted a recent AIS position.
  • Search information (such as the vessel name, IMO, or MMSI) is incorrect or incomplete.
ShipFinder combines terrestrial AIS and satellite AIS data to provide extensive global coverage. However, vessel visibility ultimately depends on the availability and quality of AIS transmissions from the vessel itself.

ShipFinder provides a comprehensive set of tools for vessel tracking and maritime monitoring, including:
  • Real-time Vessel Tracking – Track vessels worldwide using terrestrial and satellite AIS data.
  • Historical Tracks – Replay and analyze vessel movements over time.
  • Vessel Details – View ship specifications, voyage information, and current status.
  • Route Prediction – Estimate a vessel's future route and destination.
  • Live Maps & Charts – Explore vessels on interactive maps with multiple chart layers.
  • Fleet Management – Organize and monitor multiple vessels in one place.
  • Vessel Alerts – Receive notifications for arrivals, departures, geofence events, and more.
  • Data Export – Export vessel data for reporting and analysis.
  • AIS API – Integrate real-time and historical maritime data into your applications.

Not all vessels have photos available. This may be because no images have been uploaded, the vessel is newly registered, or suitable photos are not yet available in our database.
ShipFinder continuously updates vessel information, and photos will be displayed automatically as they become available.

The ShipFinder vessel details page provides comprehensive information to help you understand a vessel's current status, voyage, and specifications.
Depending on the available data, you can view:
  • Real-time Position – Current location, speed, course, navigation status, and the latest AIS update.
  • Voyage Information – Departure port, destination, voyage status, and other voyage details.
  • Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) – The vessel's estimated arrival time based on the latest available AIS data.
  • Vessel Specifications – Vessel type, IMO, MMSI, call sign, flag, dimensions and tonnage.
  • Photos – Available images of the vessel.
  • Similar Vessels – Discover vessels with similar characteristics.
The information displayed may vary depending on the vessel and the availability of AIS and vessel data.

If you experience any issues while using ShipFinder, we recommend the following steps:
  • Check our Help Center for answers to common questions and user guides.
  • Refresh the page or try again later if the issue appears to be temporary.
  • Ensure you're using the latest version of your web browser.
  • Contact our support team if the problem persists. shipfinder@elaneglobal.com
When contacting support, please include details such as a description of the issue, screenshots, and the device or browser you're using. This will help us investigate and resolve the problem more quickly.

Upgrading to the ShipFinder Professional Plan only takes a few steps:
  1. Sign in to your ShipFinder account.
  2. Go to the Plans & Pricing page.
  3. Select the Professional Plan and choose either a monthly or yearly subscription.
  4. Complete your payment using your preferred payment method.
  5. Once your payment is confirmed, your account will be upgraded immediately, and you'll have access to all Professional features.

Getting started with the ShipFinder API is quick and easy:
  1. Create or sign in to your ShipFinder account.
  2. Go to the API Console.
  3. Create an API key.
  4. Choose the API services you want to use.
  5. Start integrating the API using our documentation and examples.

  For detailed instructions, please refer to Shipfinder API Integration Tutorial

New users can create a Starter API Key, which includes free trial access to selected APIs for a limited period. If you need higher usage limits or additional services, you contact our sales. shipfinder@elaneglobal.com

Still can’t find what you need?

Email us and our maritime specialists will get back to you as soon as possible with the support you need.

Contact Support