Destination and ETA *(Estimated Time of Arrival) are AIS-transmitted details. You can find a vessel's destination and see to which port it is heading by accessing its vessel detail page.

The "Destination" provided on our website is a field that we receive from AIS signals and it gets completed by the vessel's crew. The information updates are derived from the vessel's AIS transponder, and manual corrections are not feasible; any new transmission will overwrite previously displayed data, emphasizing reliance on live AIS updates.

Since the vessels’ AIS transponders can only contain information on one destination, we can only know and therefore display the vessel's next destination when it is heading there.

Once vessel leaves the origin port and starts heading for the next port, you will be able to see the next destination.

Please note that we do not have access to itineraries, brokering, scheduling or chartering information.

In case you wish to see a forecast of the vessel's route, depending on previous similar routes, you can select the Route Forecast option through the vessel info window on the Live Map, or the Vessel's Details page.

Note: Route Forecast option is only available for the vessels that are still on their way to the reported destination. For those that have already arrived at their destination, only Route Tool will be available.

Kindly note that there are some occasions that captains do not update the destination in the vessels’ AIS transponders and, unfortunately, this is something we cannot control.

Additionally, it is possible that the information entered in the destination field may not be available in our database, and, therefore, recognized by our algorithm. As such, our system displays the exact information entered in the vessel's AIS transponder, along with the message "destination port not recognized". To troubleshoot, users should ensure accurate AIS transponder updates and recognize that information availability might depend on AIS coverage or properly completed operations.

MarineTraffic's tracking system relies heavily on AIS data and physical operation metrics like draught changes. While limitations such as signal coverage or unupdated transponders exist, understanding these dependencies helps manage expectations effectively.