Free Shipping & Maritime API
FreeOpenAPI.dev's shipping API delivers live AIS vessel positions — speed, course, heading and navigational status for every currently tracked ship — from Digitraffic Marine, live wind/wave/water-temperature conditions from the nearest NOAA ocean buoy to any coordinate, worldwide mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) positions, and current in-force NAVAREA navigational warnings (hazards, exercises, drifting mines) from the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
Endpoints
| Method | Endpoint | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
GET |
/api/v1/shipping/vessels/live |
Live positions, speed, course and status for every currently tracked AIS vessel | Digitraffic Marine |
GET |
/api/v1/shipping/rigs?active=true |
Mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) positions and status worldwide | NGA MSI |
GET |
/api/v1/shipping/warnings?navArea= |
Current in-force navigational warnings (hazards, exercises, drifting mines) by NAVAREA | NGA MSI |
GET |
/api/v1/shipping/warnings/areas |
List of valid navArea codes | NGA MSI |
GET |
/api/v1/shipping/ocean-conditions?lat=&lon= |
Live wind, wave, pressure and water temperature from the nearest ocean buoy | NOAA NDBC |
Full request/response details for every endpoint are in the API documentation.
Example request
curl "https://freeopenapi.dev/api/v1/shipping/vessels/live" \
-H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"
Works the same with ?apiKey=... as a query parameter. Every response carries
X-RateLimit-Limit / X-RateLimit-Remaining headers so you can track your budget.
Frequently asked questions
Is the shipping and maritime API really free?
Yes. The free tier includes 100 requests per day and only requires a verified email address — no credit card. Paid Pro and Business tiers raise the daily limit.
Which waters does the vessel-tracking cover?
AIS vessel positions come from Digitraffic Marine, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency's open data feed — strongest coverage is Finnish and Baltic Sea waters.
How fresh are the vessel positions?
Positions update about once a minute, matching the upstream source's own refresh rate.
Where does the ocean-conditions data come from?
The nearest active NOAA National Data Buoy Center station to the coordinate you request — coverage is strongest around the US coastline and open Pacific/Atlantic, and returned distance tells you how far the matched buoy is from your point.
Are navigational warnings worldwide?
Yes — NAVAREA warnings cover the globe's designated navigation areas; filter by the navArea query parameter (see /warnings/areas for valid codes).
How do I get an API key?
Request a key with your email address on the Docs page, click the confirmation link we send you, and your key is active immediately on the free tier.