Enhance global ship tracking by deploying Roaming AIS stations:

MarineTraffic is dedicated to providing its clients with the best AIS network coverage. By sharing your data, you ensure uninterrupted visibility of your vessel's position while tracking surrounding activities.

Benefits for the crew:

Onboarding is a 4 step process. We recommend the following sequence:

First, you should register an account for your vessel on MarineTraffic. You should use the vessel's email address for this purpose. This offers several advantages, such as ensuring that the appropriate person on board is notified if the onboard data transmission stops.

After setting up your MarineTraffic account, ensure that all necessary connections are properly configured to begin transmitting data.

Once the account is set up and the station is created, the implementation on board can proceed. To share the data, the AIS receiver (transceiver) must be connected to a computer to forward the data using appropriate software. Since the on-site setup can vary greatly, the instructions are intentionally kept general. If you have any questions, feel free to email us with detailed information.

Please ensure the safety of the ship at all times and only connect the transceiver if it can be done through standard procedures without impairing the device.

In most cases, AIS transceivers onboard are connected to a data splitter. This is because multiple devices onboard require access to AIS signals. Before proceeding, it’s essential to check if there are any available outputs on the splitter, rather than only on the AIS device itself.

Check if the current splitter has an available Serial or Ethernet output.

Then, use a serial-to-USB cable (or Ethernet-to-USB) to connect the splitter to your computer.

If all outputs on the current splitter are used, consider adding another splitter in series to duplicate the signals.

Consult your vessel superintendent for advice on appropriate splitters. They can provide recommendations on suitable, wheel-marked splitters that comply with maritime regulations (Directive 96/98/EC) and might help secure better prices.

Here is an article with more details on connecting the AIS receiver to a computer:

Additionally, this article will help you identify the serial port after connecting the device to the computer.

If you need more info regarding your AIS transceiver, here are some of the most common models:

Again, consult your vessel superintendent for advice on devices compatibility and compliance.

Various software options are available for forwarding AIS data. An overview of commonly used software can be found here. If you already have software installed that enables data forwarding and is in use, please use that software to forward the data as well.

A guide for OpenCPN, which is often used, can be found here:

If no software is installed, we recommend using AIS Dispatcher. This software is user-friendly and highly reliable. You can find a guide for AIS Dispatcher here:

In the next step, you create an AIS station to receive the details needed to share the AIS data.

Log in to your account and go to your station overview (My Account > My Station). In the top left corner, you'll find the option "Add Receiving Station." Click on it to open the form.

When setting up the station, it is very important to specify the Vessel's name as the operator and add the vessel's MMSI. For coordinates, enter your current location. This ensures that the station is properly managed and easily located.

When the station is created, a network port is assigned to it. Your data will then be sent to this specific port using the MarineTraffic IP address (5.9.207.224) or DNS address (listener.marinetraffic.com). This information will be sent to the email address you provide.

More information about how to add your station can be found in the following article:

Once everything is connected and you have followed the appropriate instructions to set up your station and start sending data, you can check if the data is successfully reaching the MarineTraffic server.

To do this, ensure you are logged into your MarineTraffic account and open your AIS station page. You can find it in the overview here:

For more details about the station page and its statistics, refer to this guide:

On your AIS station page, you can verify if AIS data is being received by checking the station's statistics and status. Please note that it may take some time for the initial statistics to be generated, so if nothing appears immediately, wait a few minutes.

If no data is displayed, please check whether the computer has an active internet connection or if there are network restrictions, such as a firewall blocking the transmission. In such cases, you need to allow this outgoing connection in the firewall. You will require the IP or DNS address and the port you received. For more details, visit:

If you encounter further issues or are unsure how to proceed, feel free to contact our support team or your ship's IT department depending on the topic. Please describe your problem in detail and include pictures of your setup. This will help us provide you with more effective assistance and tailored support for your needs.

MarineTraffic provides information on connecting the AIS signal to a computer and installing the necessary software. The support should be provided as follows:

The ship's responsibility includes coordinating the connection between the AIS and the computer, as well as receiving data. The ship's IT and technical department must be informed about the computer's AIS connection and the necessary software installation. They should also provide support and guidance on how to check the signal availability from the AIS through the serial to USB converter in the PC's software.

MarineTraffic is responsible for ensuring data flows from the computer’s software to the MarineTraffic server. MarineTraffic’s support will help ensure that the data from the PC’s software is received on the MarineTraffic server and that all necessary account settings are correctly configured.