Developer Tools
Official client libraries and AI integration tools for VesselAPI. Connect AI assistants to live maritime data via the MCP server, or integrate directly using our SDKs for TypeScript, Python, and Go.
MCP Server (AI Integration)
The VesselAPI MCP (Model Context Protocol) server enables AI assistants to query live maritime data directly. It works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, and any other MCP-compatible client.
The server exposes 16 tools covering vessel search, tracking, positions, ETA, classification, ownership, emissions, inspections, casualties, port lookup, port events, area-based vessel queries, and NAVTEX messages.
Installation
npx -y vesselapi-mcpConfiguration
Add the following to your MCP client configuration:
Claude Desktop / Cursor / Claude Code
{
"mcpServers": {
"vesselapi": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "vesselapi-mcp"],
"env": {
"VESSELAPI_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
}
}
}
}
Configuration file locations:
Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json
Cursor: .cursor/mcp.json
Claude Code: .claude/settings.json
Windsurf: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
Available Tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| search_vessels | Search vessels by name, callsign, flag, or type |
| get_vessel | Get vessel details by MMSI or IMO |
| get_vessel_position | Get current vessel position |
| get_vessel_eta | Get vessel ETA and destination |
| get_vessel_classification | Get classification records |
| get_vessel_ownership | Get ownership and management info |
| get_vessel_emissions | Get emissions data |
| get_vessel_inspections | Get port state control inspections |
| get_vessel_casualties | Get marine casualty records |
| search_ports | Search ports by name or location |
| get_port | Get port details by UN/LOCODE |
| get_port_events | Get arrivals and departures at a port |
| get_port_events_by_vessel | Get port call history for a vessel |
| get_vessels_in_area | Find vessels in a bounding box |
| get_vessels_in_radius | Find vessels within a radius |
| get_navtex_messages | Get maritime safety messages |
SDKs
All SDKs provide 37 methods across 7 service areas: vessels, ports, port events, emissions, search, location queries, and NAVTEX. They share common features including auto-pagination, typed error handling, and automatic retry with exponential backoff.
TypeScript / Node.js
vesselapiZero-dependency client for Node.js 18+. Uses native fetch.
Installation
npm install vesselapiQuick Start
import { VesselAPI } from "vesselapi";
const client = new VesselAPI({ apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY" });
// Get vessel position
const position = await client.vessels.position(253041000, "mmsi");
console.log(position.latitude, position.longitude);
// Search vessels with auto-pagination
for await (const vessel of client.search.vessels({ name: "EVERGREEN" })) {
console.log(vessel.name, vessel.mmsi);
}Python
vessel-api-pythonSync and async clients for Python 3.9+. Built on httpx and pydantic.
Installation
pip install vessel-api-pythonQuick Start
from vesselapi import VesselClient
client = VesselClient(api_key="YOUR_API_KEY")
# Get vessel position
position = client.vessels.position(253041000, "mmsi")
print(position.latitude, position.longitude)
# Async usage
from vesselapi import AsyncVesselClient
async_client = AsyncVesselClient(api_key="YOUR_API_KEY")
position = await async_client.vessels.position(253041000, "mmsi")Go
vesselapi-goIdiomatic Go client using functional options pattern. Go 1.22+.
Installation
go get github.com/vessel-api/vesselapi-go/v3Quick Start
package main
import (
"context"
"fmt"
vesselapi "github.com/vessel-api/vesselapi-go/v3"
)
func main() {
client := vesselapi.NewClient("YOUR_API_KEY")
// Get vessel position
pos, err := client.Vessels.Position(context.Background(), 253041000, "mmsi")
if err != nil {
panic(err)
}
fmt.Printf("%.4f, %.4f\n", pos.Latitude, pos.Longitude)
}Common SDK Features
Auto-Pagination
Iterate over all results without managing pagination tokens. Each SDK provides language-native iterators (async iterators in TS, generators in Python, Iterator pattern in Go).
Typed Errors
Structured error types with helpers like isNotFound(), isRateLimited(), and isAuthError() for clean error handling.
Automatic Retries
Exponential backoff with jitter on 429 and 5xx errors. Respects Retry-After headers. Configurable max retries.
Environment Variables
Set VESSELAPI_API_KEY to avoid passing the key in code. All SDKs read this automatically.
Ready to Start Building?
Sign up for an API key and start integrating maritime data with your preferred language or AI assistant.