Live ship tracker
Container ships, tankers, ferries, fishing boats and yachts on every sea. Click a ship to see its name, flag, type, destination port, speed and course.
Click any point on the map to see the details. Data: AIS signals via aisstream.io. Flag derived from the MMSI number.
Open the full mapWhat you see when you click a ship
Ship name, flag country, IMO number and call sign.
Destination port and estimated time of arrival reported by the crew.
Length, beam and draught, so you can tell a ferry from a giant container ship at a glance.
Speed in knots and km/h, course and status, for example under way, at anchor or moored.
How we know where a ship is
Large merchant ships and all passenger ships must broadcast an AIS signal with their position, course and speed. Many smaller boats, such as yachts and fishing vessels, do it voluntarily. Coastal stations receive the signals and we combine them into one map.
The map refreshes every minute and ships keep moving along their course between updates. Receiving stations are mostly on land, so you see the most ships near coasts and in ports, while the middle of the ocean may look emptier than it is.
The destination port and arrival time are typed in by the crew, so they are sometimes outdated or abbreviated.
On the map right now
At the last update of this page (November 13 at 03:25 UTC) there were 26,903 vessels on the map. 3,362 of them were under way, the rest were in port or at anchor.
By type
- Cargo3,956
- Yachts and pleasure craft3,233
- Passenger ships and ferries2,037
- Tugs1,917
- Tankers1,748
- Sailing vessels1,423
- Fishing1,112
- Other or type not given11,477
Busiest waters
- North Sea8,419
- Mediterranean Sea3,498
- Baltic Sea2,883
- Gulf of Mexico895
- English Channel732
- Strait of Malacca543
- South China Sea267
- Black Sea124
- Caribbean Sea87
- Persian Gulf4
The numbers in this section refresh once a day. The map above shows the live picture.
FAQ
Is the ship map free?
Yes. You can watch live ships and their details for free, without signing up.
How do I find a specific ship?
Type its name into the search box above the map. Click the result and the map takes you to the ship and shows its details.
Why are there fewer ships in the middle of the ocean?
AIS signals are mostly received by stations on land, and their range usually reaches a few dozen kilometres offshore. Further out, some ships simply are not visible.
What do the ship type and status mean?
Click a ship to see its type (for example cargo, tanker or passenger) and its status, such as under way, at anchor or moored in port.