Voyage Radar — Free Live AIS Vessel Tracker & Ship Finder
Right now, more than 380,000 ships are moving across the world's oceans — and you can follow any one of them for free. Voyage Radar is a live AIS vessel tracker that pulls real-time position data from a global network of terrestrial and satellite receivers and plots every signal on an interactive map. No account, no app, no subscription. Just open the site and start exploring.
What You Can Do on Voyage Radar
Whether you're a logistics professional waiting on a cargo shipment, a maritime enthusiast watching vessels pass through a busy strait, or just curious about the ship you spotted from the shore — Voyage Radar gives you the tools to find out what's happening at sea.
- Live ship tracking: See real-time positions for 380,000+ AIS-equipped vessels. Moving ships update every few seconds; anchored vessels every few minutes.
- Vessel search: Look up any ship by name, MMSI number, or IMO number. Results appear instantly.
- Voyage history playback: Pick any date range and watch a vessel's recorded route animate across the map — useful for verifying past positions or understanding a ship's trading pattern.
- Port calls & arrivals: Check which vessels are currently in port, who arrived recently, and who is expected next. Our database covers 3,800+ ports and terminals worldwide.
- Full vessel details: Tap any ship to see its MMSI, IMO number, call sign, flag state, vessel type, gross tonnage, dimensions, current speed, heading, draft, destination, and estimated arrival time.
- Live weather overlays: Toggle GFS weather layers — wind speed, wave height, sea-surface temperature, atmospheric pressure, and animated particle streams — directly on top of the vessel map.
- Smart filters: Narrow the map down by vessel type, navigational status, or flag country to focus on exactly what matters to you.
- Works on any device: Voyage Radar is fully responsive. It works just as well on a phone in your pocket as on a widescreen monitor.
How to Track a Ship
- Visit aisvesseltracker.com — no download or sign-up needed.
- Use the search box to enter a vessel name, MMSI, or IMO number, or simply browse the live map and click any vessel icon that catches your eye.
- A detail panel opens on the right showing the ship's current position, speed, course, destination, and the weather conditions at its exact location.
- Want to see where it's been? Hit the calendar icon in the panel, choose a date range, and the vessel's historical track will replay on the map.
- To add weather context, open the Layers menu in the toolbar and enable whichever overlay interests you — wind, waves, temperature, or pressure.
Every Type of Vessel, in One Place
Voyage Radar tracks the full spectrum of maritime traffic: container ships, bulk carriers, oil tankers, chemical tankers, LNG and LPG carriers, general cargo vessels, Ro-Ro ships, passenger ferries, cruise liners, fishing vessels, tugboats, offshore supply vessels, platform supply vessels, anchor handlers, sailing yachts, motor yachts, high-speed craft, pilot boats, coast guard vessels, naval ships, research vessels, dredgers, and more. If it has an AIS transponder, it's on the map. Browse the full vessel directory at aisvesseltracker.com/vessels/.
Live Weather Overlays — Understand Sea Conditions at a Glance
Voyage Radar overlays real GFS (Global Forecast System) weather data directly onto the vessel map. You can toggle wind speed at 10 m, 80 m, and 100 m altitude, animated wind particle streams, significant wave height, wind sea height, wave power, animated wave particle flows, sea-surface temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Every layer comes with a colour-coded legend so you can read conditions instantly. It's particularly useful for understanding why a vessel has slowed down, changed course, or anchored to wait out rough weather.
Global Coverage — Every Ocean, Every Major Shipping Lane
Voyage Radar covers the entire world. You can monitor dense traffic in the English Channel, follow container ships through the Strait of Malacca, watch tankers queue at the Strait of Hormuz, or trace bulk carriers rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Major shipping lanes across the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, North Sea, Baltic, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf are all covered. Strategic chokepoints — the Suez Canal, Panama Canal, Strait of Gibraltar, Bosphorus, and Lombok Strait — are visible in real time. So are the world's busiest ports: Singapore, Shanghai, Rotterdam, Los Angeles, Busan, Dubai, Hamburg, Antwerp, and thousands more.
How AIS Vessel Tracking Works
AIS stands for Automatic Identification System. It's a VHF radio standard mandated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for vessels over 300 gross tons on international voyages and all passenger ships regardless of size. Every AIS-equipped ship continuously broadcasts its MMSI identifier, vessel name, position (latitude and longitude), speed over ground, course over ground, true heading, navigational status, destination, and draught. Voyage Radar collects these signals from a worldwide network of land-based receivers and low-Earth-orbit satellite AIS sensors, then aggregates and displays them on the live map with minimal delay.
Who Uses Voyage Radar?
Our users come from all corners of the maritime world:
- Shipping companies and fleet managers monitoring vessel positions around the clock
- Freight forwarders and importers tracking the ETA of cargo they're waiting on
- Port agents and terminal operators checking inbound traffic and berth scheduling
- Marine underwriters and P&I clubs verifying vessel locations for claims
- Maritime lawyers and investigators gathering navigational records as evidence
- Supply chain analysts studying trade routes and shipping patterns
- Journalists and NGOs following vessels linked to environmental incidents
- Researchers and academics mapping global shipping movements
- Ship enthusiasts and spotters tracking vessels of personal interest
- Families keeping tabs on loved ones sailing aboard merchant or cruise ships
Port Directory — 3,800+ Ports Worldwide
Voyage Radar's port section at aisvesseltracker.com/ports/ lets you search any of 3,800+ commercial harbours, anchorages, and terminals globally. Each port page shows the vessels currently at berth, those expected to arrive soon, and recent departures — along with full port details. You can also pull up any vessel's complete port call history to see every stop it has made.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I track a ship in real-time?
Go to aisvesseltracker.com and type a vessel name, MMSI, or IMO number into the search box. You can also pan and zoom the live map and click directly on any ship icon. Either way, a detail panel opens with the vessel's current position, speed, heading, destination, flag, type, and the weather conditions right where it is.
Is Voyage Radar free to use?
Yes — completely free, with no registration and no hidden fees. Every feature on the site, including voyage history playback, weather overlays, and port call data, is available to any visitor at no cost.
What is AIS and how does ship tracking work?
AIS (Automatic Identification System) is a transponder fitted to most commercial vessels that continuously broadcasts the ship's identity, position, speed, and course over VHF radio. Voyage Radar picks up those broadcasts from ground stations and satellites around the world and plots each vessel's position on the live map in near real time.
Can I see a vessel's past route?
Yes. Click any vessel to open its panel, then tap the calendar icon and select a date range. The ship's recorded track will animate across the map so you can see exactly where it went and when.
What weather layers are available?
Wind speed (at 10 m, 80 m, and 100 m), animated wind particles, significant wave height, wind sea height, wave power, animated wave particles, sea-surface temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Each layer can be toggled on or off independently from the Layers menu in the toolbar.
How frequently do vessel positions update?
It depends on the ship's speed and status. Vessels underway typically transmit every 2 to 10 seconds. Those at anchor or moored transmit every 3 to 6 minutes. Voyage Radar shows updates as they arrive.
Does Voyage Radar work on mobile?
Yes. The site is fully responsive and works smoothly on iOS and Android browsers without any app installation. The map controls, search, filters, and vessel panels are all optimised for touchscreens.
Can I search by MMSI or IMO number?
Yes. Type a 9-digit MMSI or 7-digit IMO number directly into the search box and the matching vessel will appear in the results straight away.
How many vessels can I track?
Voyage Radar currently tracks over 380,000 AIS-equipped vessels worldwide, spanning every vessel type from supertankers and container ships to fishing boats, yachts, and high-speed ferries.