Thanks to BitterEnd for the tip. Navagear readers are probably aware of the many AIS-on-the-web services. But hold on, this is something new.
MarineTraffic.com has a live ships map that plots almost-current AIS data onto Google maps. They cover several areas worldwide, including my area, Puget Sound. So far, so good; but nothing we haven’t seen before.
Here’s what sets it apart, though: it’s got pictures and vessel tracks. Plus, you can turn vessel types on or off, if you want to see passenger vessels but not tankers, for instance. And you can search for a specific vessel by name. Those are just the features I’ve discovered so far.
It’s a ship-spotting geek’s dream, I tell you!
Of course, it doesn’t have pictures of every vessel that happens to show up, but it might, given time. See in the screenshot above where it says “Upload a photo”?
That’s just what I did here. They didn’t have a photo of Tioga, but I did. That photo of Tioga is one I took back in May. Don’t worry, you retain the copyright to your pictures. Here’s the page with the full-size version of my photo.
5 responses so far ↓
warren // Oct 23, 2008 at 9:12 am
well, you got almost the same for Spain in case you are interested in http://www.atlantic-source.com/trafico-maritimo
Coverage far smaller, and pictures show up in different sites, but you get tracks and even alerts when ships enter or exit some area.
RR // Oct 23, 2008 at 11:11 am
That is very cool. I like that it is participatory.
Elissalde // Oct 24, 2008 at 5:18 am
in France: http://www.fon.gs/webais_loireshom
in San Francisco: http://www.fon.gs/webais_sfnoaa
Captain Jack Richards // Oct 24, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I did the same thing. I found the water taxi ‘Sightseer’ that I used to work on and it didn’t have a photo, so I uploaded one with comments about the vessel. I like this idea of users being able to update information that companies just don’t have the resources to do so. Just look how Google Maps is updated now with user content. I found the AIS information pretty accurate also when I time the appearance of the Argosy’s ‘GoodTime III’ tour boat passing by my boat when I went out to take a picture of the bow of the vessel. It seams that I only take stern end photos of ships going by because I didn’t know they where coming.
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Puget Sound Ship-Spotting, Online! // Dec 26, 2008 at 1:29 pm
[...] [Originally published October 23, 2008, at Navagear.] [...]
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