Spire Maritime’s Real‑time Automatic Identification System (AIS) provides an up-to-date and accurate view of the world’s shipping activities.
Configure Your AIS Data Solution
What is Real-time AIS vessel tracking data?
Real-time AIS is based on an interconnected satellite architecture to provide real time coverage and instant visibility into maritime activities, in the open ocean and near shore.
- Latency: less than 1 minute in the open ocean
- Global ocean coverage based on our proprietary satellite constellation
- All active AIS devices detected with over 600K vessels, 250K+ active vessels/day
- Vessels you can track: 1) All vessels, 2) All vessels of a specific type, 3) A specific fleet, or 4) individual vessels with either AIS Class A or Class B transponders.
- Static, positional and voyage related data
Configure Your AIS Data Solution
What is AIS vessel tracking data?
Are you a developer? Start here
Real-time AIS data delivery options
- API (GraphQL / GWS)
- Uniproxy
- Available in Spire’s ShipView solution
Real-time AIS data format options
- Raw NMEA
- Decoded NMEA
- Combined processed information
- WMS/WFS
How Real-time AIS works
Spire Maritime’s Real-time Satellite AIS is powered by a system of advanced VHF maritime satellite payloads hosted on the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation. These payloads collect global radio frequency data in near-real-time from satellites equipped with multiple sensors. The data is then delivered in real-time through the satellite system’s in-orbit ‘mesh’ architecture, which ensures continuous global surface coverage.
This real-time satellite data forms the foundation of our service. We fuse this satellite data with information from various additional sources, such as terrestrial AIS stations, to provide a comprehensive view of maritime activities. This approach, combined with our globally distributed satellite operations and IT support teams, ensures reliable and continuous service. With the largest team of SAT-AIS technology experts and specialists in the world, Spire Maritime is committed to delivering world-class capabilities to our customers.
Why choose Spire Real-time AIS?
Only constellation providing Real-time AIS on the market
Track vessels activities anywhere as they happen
Increase your situational awareness by accessing real‑time vessel positions in waters of interest
Most complete source of AIS data
Access the largest constellations and highest volumes of messages tracked by satellite. Combined with other trusted data sources, we offer the most complete picture of AIS data on the market
Unique domain awareness
Based on high quality data and accurate information, track any vessels, including for a specific vertical, customers or competitor
Best in class support including:
- Continuous Support (live technical and customer support, including onboarding and developer documentation)
- Accessible through Modern APIs designed by developers, for developers
- Easy integration with support from dedicated Spire engineers
- 24/7 global satellite coverage
- Wide array of digital resources
Configure Your AIS Data Solution
What is Real-time AIS useful for?
Real-time AIS data is leveraged by intelligence agencies and relevant authorities to enhance their understanding of maritime activities, support decision-making, and ensure security and compliance.
Offshore asset surveillance / protection
- Assets protection and immediate response to potential threats.
- Monitor vessels approaching offshore installations, such as oil rigs, wind farms, or other critical infrastructure.
- Identify vessels that might pose security risks or conduct unauthorized activities near these assets.
Warfare intelligence
- Support strategic planning, threat assessment, and situational awareness in naval warfare scenarios.
- Contribute to warfare intelligence by tracking naval movements of both friendly and potential adversary vessels.
- Understand fleet deployments, monitoring naval exercises, and identify potential military threats in the region.
Commodity / market intelligence
- Valuable information for commodity traders, investors, and policy makers to make informed decisions.
- Track cargo vessels transporting commodities such as oil, minerals, and agricultural products.
- Assess supply chain disruptions, analyze shipping trends, and predict market fluctuations.
Discover more financial services use cases
Flag administration
- Identify vessels operating under their flag that may be engaged in illegal activities or violating maritime laws
- Monitor vessels registered under their jurisdiction.
- Ensure compliance with maritime regulations, safety standards, and international conventions.
Optional features available
Enhanced AIS
Fill in the gaps in global AIS ship tracking data, especially in high traffic zones with Enhanced AIS
Vessel to Port ETA
Reliable, machine-learning powered port ETAs and route predictions for specific vessels with Vessel to Port ETA
Port Events
Get access to worldwide Port Events, including terminal and anchorage events, in a convenient API
Vessel Characteristics
Detailed vessel data including ownership, build, technical information, registration & capacity with Vessel Characteristics
Testimonials & customers
Case study
Starboard leveraging Spire’s Real-time AIS and AIS Position Validation to curb Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing
Read Starboard case study
Video testimonial
Trent Fulcher, CEO of Starboard, highlights the pivotal role of Spire Maritime’s AIS data and AIS Position Validation
Video testimonial
Spire and Styrid are partnering to optimize the value chain of the Icelandic fishing industry
The Real-Time Enabler
Leveraging the Iridium NEXT constellation’s interconnected satellite architecture, Spire Maritime has the only real-time satellite AIS system
Continuous Global AIS coverage
65+ satellite system mesh network
All active AIS devices detected
>600k vessels, 250k+ active/day
Real-time global AIS
message latency < 1 min
The system is fully operational
Expected lifetime of >15 years
Leverage accurate and actionable data
Make better‑informed decisions, even in highly congested traffic areas, with enhanced vessel detection
Take action immediately
Increase your situational awareness by accessing real‑time vessel positions in waters of interest
Maintain a competitive edge
Create strong domain awareness based on high data quality and accurate information
Get started with Real‑time AIS
Whether your responsibilities include fleet management, coastal surveillance, commodity trading, or any other ship-tracking requirements, our persistent, real‑time vessel updates can save your organization time and resources, while improving transparency and increasing safety.
Configure Your AIS Data Solution
