specification: API Commons Vocabulary
specificationVersion: '0.1'
provider: MarineTraffic
providerId: marine-traffic
created: '2026-05-25'
modified: '2026-05-25'
tags:
  - Maritime
  - AIS
  - Shipping
  - Vessel Tracking
  - Ports
description: >-
  Domain vocabulary for the MarineTraffic AIS Data API. Maps the core maritime
  and AIS concepts surfaced by the API to their authoritative external
  vocabularies (ITU-R M.1371, UN/LOCODE, IMO, schema.org) so downstream
  consumers can reconcile vessel, port, voyage, and event records across
  providers.

operationalDimensions:
  - name: VesselIdentification
    description: How a vessel is identified across AIS, registries, and provider databases.
    terms:
      - name: MMSI
        description: Maritime Mobile Service Identity — 9-digit AIS-broadcast identifier.
        authority: ITU-R M.585
      - name: IMO
        description: International Maritime Organization number — permanent 7-digit vessel identifier.
        authority: IMO
      - name: SHIP_ID
        description: MarineTraffic internal numeric vessel ID. Stable but provider-specific.
        authority: MarineTraffic
      - name: CALLSIGN
        description: ITU-allocated radio call sign.
        authority: ITU
  - name: PortIdentification
    terms:
      - name: PORT_ID
        description: MarineTraffic internal port ID.
        authority: MarineTraffic
      - name: UNLOCODE
        description: UN Code for Trade and Transport Locations (e.g. NLRTM = Rotterdam).
        authority: UNECE
      - name: BERTH_ID
        description: MarineTraffic internal berth ID.
        authority: MarineTraffic
      - name: TERMINAL_ID
        description: MarineTraffic internal terminal ID.
        authority: MarineTraffic
  - name: AisMessageType
    description: AIS message types as defined by ITU-R M.1371 (selected subset emitted via MarineTraffic).
    terms:
      - name: Position Report (Type 1/2/3)
        description: Class A position, course, speed, heading, navigational status.
      - name: Static and Voyage Related Data (Type 5)
        description: Static vessel data plus destination, ETA, draught.
      - name: Standard Class B Position Report (Type 18)
        description: Class B (lighter / leisure) position report.
      - name: Static Data Report (Type 24)
        description: Class B static data parts A and B.
  - name: NavigationalStatus
    description: AIS navigational status codes (0–15).
    terms:
      - { name: '0', description: Under way using engine }
      - { name: '1', description: At anchor }
      - { name: '2', description: Not under command }
      - { name: '3', description: Restricted manoeuverability }
      - { name: '4', description: Constrained by her draught }
      - { name: '5', description: Moored }
      - { name: '6', description: Aground }
      - { name: '7', description: Engaged in Fishing }
      - { name: '8', description: Under way sailing }
  - name: DataSource
    description: Source of an AIS position report.
    terms:
      - { name: TER, description: Terrestrial AIS receiver (S-AIS station / coastal receiver). }
      - { name: SAT, description: Satellite AIS receiver. }
  - name: MoveType
    description: Direction of a port-call event.
    terms:
      - { name: '0', description: Arrival at port. }
      - { name: '1', description: Departure from port. }

capabilityDimensions:
  - name: VesselTracking
    description: Real-time and historical AIS position retrieval (PS01–PS08, MTA030AD, exportvesseltrack).
  - name: EventDetection
    description: Port calls and berth calls — provider-detected vessel events (EV01, EV03).
  - name: VoyageIntelligence
    description: Predictive voyages — destination prediction, ETA, port-arrival forecasts (VI01, VI04, VI05, VI07).
  - name: PortIntelligence
    description: Expected and predictive arrivals plus port-congestion analytics (VI02, VI05, VI06).
  - name: VesselDatabase
    description: Static vessel master data, photos, and ship search (VD01, VD02, VD03).
  - name: Routing
    description: Maritime route generation and distance (VI03).
  - name: ReverseGeocoding
    description: Coordinate → maritime location (port, berth, terminal, anchorage) (GI01).
  - name: FleetManagement
    description: Power-user fleet CRUD (PU01–PU05) plus passage-plan import.
  - name: BillingAndQuotas
    description: API credit balance inspection (PU06).

referenceVocabularies:
  - name: AIS
    url: https://www.itu.int/ITU-R/M.1371/
    description: ITU-R M.1371 — AIS technical characteristics and message catalogue.
  - name: UN/LOCODE
    url: https://unece.org/trade/cefact/UNLOCODE
    description: UN Code for Trade and Transport Locations.
  - name: IMO ship-type classification
    url: https://www.imo.org/
    description: IMO ship-type categories.
  - name: schema.org
    url: https://schema.org/
    description: Used for Place / Country / Vehicle bridge classes in the JSON-LD context.