Vessel API: Access Data Instantly

Having vessel data and unlocking the potential of the application programming interface (API) has been the developers’ goldmine for a while. It is not often simple to get access to vessel API and ship data as maritime data providers tend to be secretive about the access to their vessel tracking gateways. Vessel API became accessible in under 3 clicks. 

What is Vessel API? 

Vessel API is reattextl-time or historical data about a ship. Vessel API communicates in a form of an RESTful application programming interface (API) that allows getting data from a database in less than a second. Vessel API is then used as an intermediary that allows a database and another application to talk to each other. 

Unlike traditional dashboards and maps, vessel API is a fully customizable and flexible way to get the exact ship data you need. Developers build their own solutions to address their exact specific needs with vessel tracking API.

Vessel API Types:

Ship tracking data include many aspects and it is typically divided in a few separate APIs to provide as precise and deep data as possible. Vessel AP typically includes: 

• Live vessel API
• Historical vessel data API
• Location-based vessel traffic data 
• Ship specifications and descriptive data 

Let’s go through each of these APIs in detail.

Live Vessel API 

Ship data in real-time is typically available with any maritime data provider. With this data, you are able to track vessel in near real-time see ships longitude and latitude so you could map the vessel location and visualize it. Typically ship data also includes navigational status, maritime port destination, and estimated time of arrival to that port. This data is very important part of vessel live API. Developers and other users of vessel API typically require these type of data in their live vessel API.

Live Vessel API Sample Code

Here is an example of a good Vessel API response code that you can further integrate in your applications: 

Response Example:

Historical Vessel API 

Historical vessel tracking API is similar to real-time vessel API. The data from real-time ship tracker is saved into the databases and can be further retrieved later in time. In this sense real-time vessel tracking works together with historical ship API where you can define date and time of the vessel you want to look up and you receive historical information for your selected time period.

Historical Vessel API Example

Here you can see an example of a historical vessel API that you can further use for data analytics and building applications. 

Response Example:

Vessel Finder API 

Other vessel APIs offer you to find a list of vessels based on your set criteria. This ship data is useful when you do not have a specific vessel in mind and you still need to identify a fleet that fits your needs. In this way you can, for example, filter out only Cargo vessels that are registered under French flag. After you select your fleet you can do further research on vessels using other vessel APIs such as real-time tracking or historical location tracking, or for example to further find out the carrying capacity of goods on board (in tonnage), draught of the vessel, gross tonnage and other interesting information. 

Vessel Finder API Sample

Here is a sample of the data with vessel finder API. Use this fleet to further narrow down your search and identify the vessels of your interest. 

Vessel Finder API Response Example:

How to access Vessel API?

Vessel API became more accesible more than ever. Typically maritime data providers take customers through a long journey of filling in the Contact us forms and the process of getting vessel API access takes a week or two in the best case scenario. 

This is not the case anymore. Vessel API is not available in under 3 clicks. Here is how you can access vessel API easily:

1. Choose your plan . Each plan has 2 weeks special offer trial where you can test all the capabilities of vessel API and choose to stay or cancel anytime you want.
2. Subscribe to vessel API. Click proceed to payment and fill in your email address and password, and choose the preferred payment method between Stripe and PayPal. 

Instantly get your vessel API key via email. Check your email that you used in subscribe step and start using your API key .

Vessel API by Datalastic

Datalastic is a first-class global maritime data API provider that serves more than 350 clients around the world. Datalastic specializes in API and the focus helps deliver the best data quality that is available out there.
It is the simplest data API provider out there as you can just sign up and start using it straight away without further complications. 

Datalastic was established in 2017 in the Netherlands and continues serving various maritime data:

• Vessel API 
• Marine Location Tracking API 
• Historical ship API 
• Port API 
• Vessel Finder API 
• Inspection Data 
• Maritime Companies Database 
• Second Hand Ship Sales Data
• Vessel New Build Order Data

Read Other Maritime Articles