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What is the significance of the AIS Shiptype number?
What is the significance of the AIS Shiptype number?
V
Written by Vasilis Kontas
Updated over 5 months ago

A vessel's type can be deducted using the information contained in the AIS-transmitted messages that she is emitting. The vessel's crew or the accountable officer are responsible for correctly entering this piece of information to the vessel's AIS transponder.

AIS SHIPTYPE usually consists of two digits.

The first digit represents the general category of the subject vessel:

1 = Reserved
2 = Wing In Ground
3 = Special Category
4 = High-Speed Craft
5 = Special Category
6 = Passenger
7 = Cargo
8 = Tanker
9 = Other

In certain cases (e.g. Cargo Vessels, Tankers), the second digit provides additional information regarding the subject vessel's type of cargo, according to IMO.

1 = Category X
2 = Category Y
3 = Category Z
4 = Other Substances (OS)

The following table contains the relevant list:

SHIPTYPE

TYPE NAME

AIS TYPE SUMMARY

DETAILED TYPE

10-19

Reserved

Unspecified

20-28

Wing In Grnd

Wing in Grnd

Wing In Ground Effect Vessel

29

SAR Aircraft

Search and Rescue

30

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing Vessel
Trawler
Fishery Protection/Research
Fish Carrier
Fish Factory
Factory Trawler
Fish Storage Barge
Fishery Research Vessel
Fishery Patrol Vessel
Fishery Support Vessel

31

Tug

Tug

Towing Vessel
Tug/Tender
Tug/Supply Vessel
Tug/Fire Fighting Vessel
Tug
Tug/Pilot Ship
Anchor Handling Salvage Tug
Towing/Pushing
Tug/Ice Breaker
Tractor Tug
Tug/Support
Articulated Pusher Tug

32

Tug

Tug

33

Dredger

Special Craft

Suction Hopper Dredger
Dredger
Drill Ship
Grab Hopper Dredger
Grab Dredger
Sand Suction Dredger
Hopper Dredger
Cutter Suction Dredger
Cutter Suction Hopper Dredger
Suction Dredger
Bucket Dredger
Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge
Trailing Suction Dredger
Inland Dredger
Drilling Jack Up
Bucket Ladder Dredger
Drill Barge
Bucket Hopper Dredger
Bucket Dredger Pontoon
Bucket Wheel Suction Dredger
Dredging Pontoon
Backhoe Dredger
Suction Dredger Pontoon
Water Jet Dredging Pontoon
Grab Dredger Pontoon
Kelp Dredger

34

Dive Vessel

Special Craft

Diving Support Vessel

35

Military Ops

Special Craft

Naval/Naval Auxiliary Vessel
Naval Auxiliary Tug
Logistics Naval Vessel
Mine Hunter
Minesweeper
Combat Vessel
Command Vessel
Naval Salvage Vessel
Torpedo Recovery Vessel
Naval Research Vessel
Naval Patrol Vessel
Troopship
Radar Vessel

36

Sailing Vessel

Sailing Vessel

Sailing Vessel

37

Pleasure Craft

Pleasure Craft

Yacht
Museum Ship
Exhibition Ship
Floating Hotel/Restaurant
Theatre Vessel

38

Reserved

Unspecified

39

Reserved

Unspecified

40-49

High-Speed Craft

High-Speed Craft

Hydrofoil
Hovercraft

50

Pilot Vessel

Special Craft

51

SAR

Search and Rescue

Salvage/Rescue Vessel
Offshore Safety Vessel
Standby Safety Vessel

52

Tug

Tug

Icebreaker
Inland Tug
Pusher Tug

53

Port Tender

Special Craft

Tender
Crew Boat
Pilot Ship
Supply Tender

54

Anti-Pollution

Special Craft

Pollution Control Vessel

55

Law Enforce

Special Craft

Patrol Vessel

56

Local Vessel

Special Craft

57

Local Vessel

Special Craft

58

Medical Trans

Special Craft

Hospital Ship

59

Special Craft

Special Craft

Multi Purpose Offshore Vessel
Barge Carrier
Heavy Lift Vessel
Special Vessel
Maintenance Vessel
Pipe Layer
Waste Disposal Vessel
Supply Vessel
Training Ship
Floating Storage/Production
Radio Ship
Research/Survey Vessel
Repair Ship
Support Vessel
Fire Fighting Tractor Tug
Landing Craft
Floating Crane
Fire Fighting/Supply Vessel
Whaler
Multi-Purpose Vessel
Tank-Cleaning Vessel
Mining Vessel
Fire Fighting Vessel
Paddle Ship
Anchor Handling Vessel
Nuclear Fuel Carrier
Sludge Carrier
Whale Factory
Utility Vessel
Work Vessel
Platform
Mission Ship
Buoy-Laying Vessel
Well Stimulation Vessel
Motor Hopper
Cable Layer
Anchor Handling/Fire Fighting
Crane Ship
Inland Supply Vessel
Offshore Supply Ship
Trenching Support Vessel
Offshore Construction Jack Up
Pile Driving Vessel
Replenishment Vessel
Construction Support Vessel
Pipelay Crane Vessel
Crane Barge
Work Pontoon
Production Testing Vessel
Floating Sheerleg
Mooring Vessel
Diving Support Platform
Support Jack Up
Sealer
Trans Shipment Vessel
Floating Linkspan
Crane Jack Up
Pumping Platform
Air Cushion Vessel
Power Station Vessel
Supply Jack Up
Radar Platform
Jacket Launching Pontoon
Pipe Layer Platform
Pipe Burying Vessel
Air Cushion Patrol Vessel
Air Cushion Work Vessel
Pearl Shells Carrier
Steam Supply Pontoon
Incinerator
Jack Up Barge
Desalination Pontoon
Grain Elevating Pontoon

60-69

Passenger

Passenger

Passengers Ship
Inland Passengers Ship
Inland Ferry
Floating Hotel
Ferry
Ro-Ro/Passenger Ship
Accommodation Ship
Accommodation Barge
Accommodation Jack Up
Accommodation Vessel
Passengers Landing Craft
Houseboat
Accommodation Platform
Air Cushion Passenger Ship
Air Cushion Ro-Ro/Passenger Sh

70

Cargo

Cargo

Passenger/Cargo Ship
Livestock Carrier
Bulk Carrier
Ore Carrier
General Cargo
Wood Chips Carrier
Container Ship
Ro-Ro Cargo
Reefer
Heavy Load Carrier
Barge
Ro-Ro/Container Carrier
Inland Cargo
Cement Carrier
Reefer/Containership
Vegetable/Animal Oil Tanker
Obo Carrier
Vehicles Carrier
Inland Ro-Ro Cargo Ship
Rail/Vehicles Carrier
Pallet Carrier
Cargo Barge
Hopper Barge
Deck Cargo Ship
Cargo/Containership
Aggregates Carrier
Limestone Carrier
Ore/Oil Carrier
Self Discharging Bulk Carrier
Deck Cargo Pontoon
Bulk Carrier With Vehicle Deck
Pipe Carrier
Cement Barge
Stone Carrier
Bulk Storage Barge
Aggregates Barge
Timber Carrier
Bulker
Trans Shipment Barge
Powder Carrier
Cabu Carrier
Vehicle Carrier
Cargo

71

Cargo - Hazard X (Major)

Cargo

72

Cargo - Hazard Y

Cargo

73

Cargo - Hazard Z (Minor)

Cargo

74

Cargo - Hazard OS
(Recognizable)

Cargo

75-79

Cargo

Cargo

80

Tanker

Tanker

Tanker
Asphalt/Bitumen Tanker
Chemical Tanker
Crude Oil Tanker
Inland Tanker
Fruit Juice Tanker
Bunkering Tanker
Wine Tanker
Oil Products Tanker
Oil/Chemical Tanker
Water Tanker
Tank Barge
Edible Oil Tanker
Lpg/Chemical Tanker
Shuttle Tanker
Co2 Tanker

81

Tanker - Hazard A (Major)

Tanker

82

Tanker - Hazard B

Tanker

83

Tanker - Hazard C (Minor)

Tanker

84

Tanker - Hazard D (Recognizable)

Tanker

Lng Tanker
Lpg Tanker
Gas Carrier

85-89

Tanker

Tanker

90-99

Other

Other

Note that, if you are using MarineTraffic API Services, it is possible to get SHIPTYPE responses such as those included in the next table (not AIS-derived):

ID

SHIPTYPE

100

Navigation Aid

101

Reference Point

102

RACON

103

OffShore Structure

104

Spare

105

Light, without Sectors

106

Light, with Sectors

107

Leading Light Front

108

Leading Light Rear

109

Beacon, Cardinal N

110

Beacon, Cardinal E

111

Beacon, Cardinal S

112

Beacon, Cardinal W

113

Beacon, Port Hand

114

Beacon, Starboard Hand

115

Beacon, Preferred Channel Port hand

116

Beacon, Preferred Channel Starboard hand

117

Beacon, Isolated danger

118

Beacon, Safe Water

119

Beacon, Special Mark

120

Cardinal Mark N

121

Cardinal Mark E

122

Cardinal Mark S

123

Cardinal Mark W

124

Port Hand Mark

125

Starboard Hand Mark

126

Preferred Channel Port Hand

127

Preferred Channel Starboard Hand

128

Isolated Danger

129

Safe Water

130

Manned VTS

131

Light Vessel

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