How MyShipTracking Gets Ship Position Data and How Reliable It Is

Updated

MyShipTracking builds its vessel positions from AIS (Automatic Identification System) signals collected by shore stations and contributors, then displays them on a realtime map. The data is best treated as a situational-awareness aid, not a certified record: the site itself states that all data is provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind, and that it is not responsible for reliability or accuracy. How current and complete a position is depends heavily on whether a receiving station had line-of-sight to the vessel's AIS transponder at that moment.

Where the position data comes from

AIS is a radio system in which vessels broadcast identity, position, course, speed and status. MyShipTracking does not own a global satellite network; its coverage is assembled from receiving stations, and the site invites users to "Add your Station" and to "Share AIS data with us." That contributor model explains both the service's reach and its gaps.

The map's layer controls also show what is being combined: base maps (Standard, Dark, Satellite, Navionics, OpenSeaMap) sit alongside overlays such as Contributors, vessel-type icons, and weather layers (wind, temperature, cloud cover, rain, pressure). Vessel details include size, build, speed, voyage status (for example "Under way using engine," "At anchor," "Moored," "Engaged in Fishing") and destination with a calculated ETA.

Why a position can be missing, stale or wrong

Factor Effect on what you see
Station coverage Vessels beyond shore receiver range, or in poorly covered waters, may not appear or may update infrequently
AIS transmission gaps Some vessels switch off or lose AIS; positions then freeze at the last received point
Signal quality Congested or obstructed radio conditions can delay or corrupt individual reports
Vessel-entered fields Destination, ETA and status are typed in by crew, so they can be outdated or inaccurate
Playback vs. live The Playback view replays past tracks; it is not a live position

The site's own disclaimer is explicit: "We are not responsible for the reliability and accuracy." That is the correct frame for reading any single position on the map.

How to judge reliability in practice

  • Check the "Received Time" and "Position" age in the vessel details panel. A recent timestamp with a moving track is far stronger evidence than a position that has not changed for hours.
  • Zoom in before trusting detail. The interface prompts you to zoom in to activate certain views, and lower zoom levels generalize positions.
  • Cross-check status fields. If "Destination" and "ETA" conflict with the vessel's actual heading and speed, trust the observed track over the typed-in voyage data.
  • Use Past Track and History to see whether a vessel has been consistently reported or only intermittently.
  • Confirm time settings. The site lets you display times in My Local Time, Port's Local Time or UTC; mismatched time zones are a common source of apparent "stale" data.

What it is good for — and what it is not

For general monitoring — watching port activity, following a vessel's approximate progress, or checking traffic in an area — MyShipTracking is a reasonable free entry point, and its port database, port calls and fleet mode extend that usefulness. For anything where a position must be defensible (commercial decisions, safety-critical planning, formal records), treat the map as one input and verify against an authoritative source. The service describes itself as informational only, and that is the right expectation to carry into how you use it.