# vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp [Health: Active]

**Category:** 🚆 Travel & Transportation  
**Repository:** https://github.com/vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp  
**GitHub Stars:** 1  
**npm Downloads (last month):** 1082816  
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**Directory Page:** https://allmcps.com/mcp/vessel-api-vesselapi-mcp

## Description
Maritime vessel tracking via VesselAPI. Search vessels, get real-time positions, ETAs, port events, emissions, inspections, and NAVTEX safety messages.

## Tools
Capabilities this server exposes over MCP:

- **search_vessels** — Search vessels by name, IMO, MMSI, flag, type, callsign, or year built
- **get_vessel** — Get detailed vessel information
- **get_vessel_position** — Get current vessel position (lat/lon, speed, heading)
- **get_vessel_eta** — Get vessel estimated time of arrival
- **get_vessel_emissions** — Get emissions data (CO2, fuel consumption)
- **get_vessel_casualties** — Get marine casualty records
- **get_vessel_positions_batch** — Get positions for multiple vessels at once (with optional time range)
- **search_ports** — Search ports by name, country, type, size, region, harbor size, or harbor use
- **get_port** — Get port details by UN/LOCODE
- **get_port_inbound** — Get vessels inbound to a port within an ETA window
- **get_port_events** — Get arrivals/departures for a port
- **get_port_events_by_vessel** — Get port events for a vessel
- **list_port_events** — List port events globally with filters for time, country, port, vessel, or event type
- **search_port_events_by_port** — Search port events by port name
- **search_port_events_by_vessel** — Search port events by vessel name
- **get_vessel_last_port_event** — Get the most recent port event for a vessel
- **list_emissions** — List global vessel emissions data with optional year filter
- **get_vessels_in_area** — Find vessels in a bounding box (with optional time range)
- **get_vessels_in_radius** — Find vessels within a radius of a point (with optional time range)

## Claude Desktop Quick Installation
Install path detected from listing signals. Uses `npx` (confidence: high):

```json
"mcpServers": {
  "vesselapi-mcp": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y","@modelcontextprotocol/inspector"],
    "env": {
      "VESSELAPI_API_KEY": ""
    }
  }
}
```

**Requires environment variables:** `VESSELAPI_API_KEY` — the values above are empty placeholders; fill in real credentials before running (see the repository for what each one is for).

## Documentation

## What vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp MCP server does

The vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp MCP server connects an MCP-compatible AI client to maritime data from VesselAPI. Its tools cover vessel identification, current positions, estimated arrivals, port activity, emissions, marine casualties, and location-based searches.

Vessel searches can use identifiers and attributes such as vessel name, IMO number, MMSI, flag, type, callsign, or build year. After finding a vessel, an agent can request detailed records, a current position, an ETA, emissions information, casualty records, or several positions in one request. Port tools support searches and lookup by UN/LOCODE, inbound-vessel queries, arrivals and departures, and event searches by port or vessel.

## How it works

The server runs as a local Node.js process launched with `npx` and communicates with the client through MCP. Each exposed tool maps to a maritime query against VesselAPI. Geographic tools can find vessels inside a bounding box or within a radius around a point, with an optional time range.

List-style endpoints accept `limit` and `nextToken` parameters. When more results are available, the response supplies a token that can be sent with the next request. This lets a client page through results explicitly and manage API quota usage.

## Setup and configuration

To use the vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp MCP server, create an account at the VesselAPI dashboard and generate an API token. Store that token in the `VESSELAPI_API_KEY` environment variable in the MCP client configuration.

A local configuration uses the following command and environment variable:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vesselapi": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "vesselapi-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "VESSELAPI_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

The README documents configuration locations for Claude Desktop, Cursor, Claude Code, and Windsurf. A hosted deployment is also listed on Fronteir AI, but the provided setup instructions describe the local `npx` process.

## Tools and capabilities

The tool set includes:

- Vessel search, detail lookup, current position, ETA, emissions, casualties, and batch positions.
- Port search, port details, inbound vessels, arrivals and departures, and the latest event for a vessel.
- Global port-event listing with filters for time, country, port, vessel, or event type.
- Global emissions listing with an optional year filter.
- Vessel discovery by bounding box or radius, with optional time ranges.

Emissions and casualty data are attributed to the European Maritime Safety Agency sources identified in the README, including THETIS-MRV and EMCIP. The source data may be transformed and combined, and the attribution notes state that EMSA does not endorse the service.

## Limitations and notes

The vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp MCP server requires a VesselAPI account and API token; the supplied material does not specify API quotas, endpoint coverage, refresh intervals, or subscription pricing. Results and available fields therefore depend on the underlying VesselAPI service. The README identifies the project license as MIT and documents Node.js package usage, but does not state a minimum Node.js version in the provided material.

_Full upstream README: https://allmcps.com/mcp/vessel-api-vesselapi-mcp/readme_