Marine Traffic

Marine Traffic (marinetraffic.com) live map represents positions tracking based on maritime AIS data. Real-time ship locations and port arrivals and departures. System (AIS) is an automatic tracking system used on ships and by vessel traffic services (VTS) for identifying and locating vessels by electronically exchanging data with other nearby ships AIS Base stations and Satellites. When satellites are used to detect AIS signatures then the term Satellite-AIS (S-AIS)is used. AIS information supplements marine radar, which continues to be the primary method of collision avoidance for water transport. Information provided by AIS equipment, such as unique identification, position, course, and speed, can be displayed on a screen or an ECDIS. AIS is intended to assist a vessel's watchstanding officers and allow maritime authorities to track and monitor vessel movements. AIS integrates a standardized VHF transceiver with a positioning system such as a LORAN-C or GPS receiver, with other electronic navigation sensors, such as a gyrocompass or rate of turn indicator. Vessels fitted with AIS transceivers and transponders can be tracked by AIS base stations located along coast lines or, when out of range of terrestrial networks, through a growing number of satellites that are fitted with special AIS receivers which are capable of deconflicting a large number of signatures. The International Maritime Organization's International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requires AIS to be fitted aboard international voyaging ships with gross tonnage (GT) of 300 or more tons, and all passenger ships regardless of size.

The information of vessels positions provided by MarineTraffic is available in KMZ format, which is used by the Google Earth application. Google Earth is freely available for personal use and provides very detailed and efficient browsing in world's satellite maps. If Google Earth is installed in your computer, you may see the vessels positions in real time and you may browse quickly the areas of your interest, without the limitations of the web page maps.