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io.github.vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp

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MCP server for the VesselAPI: maritime vessel tracking, port events and emissions

Source code Documentation

What can you do with io.github.vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp?

  • 19 tools covering vessels, ports, location search, and emissions
  • Vessel search, positions (single and batch), ETA, emissions, and casualties
  • Port search, details, port events (arrivals/departures), and port event search across all covered ports
  • Geographic vessel search (bounding box and radius)
  • Manual pagination to control API quota usage

Install

Add this to your client's MCP configuration (Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json; Cursor: .cursor/mcp.json; VS Code and others use the same "mcpServers" shape).

NPM package vesselapi-mcp
Claude Code 
claude mcp add vesselapi-mcp -- npx -y vesselapi-mcp@2.2.1
JSON configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code) 
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "vesselapi-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "vesselapi-mcp@2.2.1"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Documentation

From the project's README on GitHub, refreshed weekly. Links open on GitHub.

Contents
  1. VesselAPI MCP Server
  2. Prerequisites
  3. Features
  4. Quick Start
  5. Configuration
  6. Tools
  7. Pagination
  8. Development
  9. Data Sources & Attribution
  10. License

VesselAPI MCP Server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that exposes maritime data from the VesselAPI to AI assistants like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and Claude Code.

Prerequisites

  1. Sign up at dashboard.vesselapi.com
  2. Create an API token in your dashboard
  3. Use the token as VESSELAPI_API_KEY in the configuration below

Resources: Documentation | API Explorer | Dashboard | Contact Support

Features

  • 19 tools covering vessels, ports, location search, and emissions
  • Vessel search, positions (single and batch), ETA, emissions, and casualties
  • Port search, details, port events (arrivals/departures), and port event search across all covered ports
  • Geographic vessel search (bounding box and radius)
  • Manual pagination to control API quota usage

Quick Start

No installation required. Configure your AI client with npx:

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

Configuration

Add the JSON above to the config file for your client:

ClientConfig file
Claude Desktop~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows)
Cursor.cursor/mcp.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json
Claude Codeclaude mcp add, which writes .mcp.json in the project or ~/.claude.json for user scope
Windsurf~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

Tools

Vessel Tools
ToolDescription
search_vesselsSearch vessels by name, IMO, MMSI, flag, type, callsign, or year built
get_vesselGet detailed vessel information
get_vessel_positionGet the latest stored vessel position (lat/lon, speed, heading, timestamp); it may be hours or days old
get_vessel_etaGet the ETA the vessel last reported (declared, not predicted)
get_vessel_emissionsGet EU MRV emissions reports (CO2, fuel consumption)
get_vessel_casualtiesGet marine casualty records
get_vessel_positions_batchGet positions for multiple vessels at once (with optional time range)
Port Tools
ToolDescription
search_portsSearch ports by name, country, type, size, region, harbor size, or harbor use
get_portGet port details by UN/LOCODE
get_port_inboundGet vessels reporting a port as their destination, within an ETA window
get_port_eventsGet arrivals/departures for a port (last 2 hours unless timeFrom is given)
get_port_events_by_vesselGet port events for a vessel (last 2 hours unless timeFrom is given)
list_port_eventsList port events across all covered ports, with filters for time, country, port, vessel, or event type
search_port_events_by_portSearch port events by port name
search_port_events_by_vesselSearch port events by vessel name
get_vessel_last_port_eventGet the most recent port event for a vessel
Emissions Tools
ToolDescription
list_emissionsList EU MRV emissions reports, with an optional reporting-year filter
Location Tools
ToolDescription
get_vessels_in_areaFind vessels with an AIS position in a bounding box (default last 2 hours, at most 4 hours)
get_vessels_in_radiusFind vessels with an AIS position within a radius of a point (default last 2 hours, at most 4 hours)

Pagination

All list endpoints support limit and nextToken parameters for manual pagination. When more results exist, the response includes a nextToken. Pass it in the next call to get the next page.

Development

git clone https://github.com/vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp.git
cd vesselapi-mcp
npm install
npm run build
npm run build        # Build the server
npm run typecheck    # Type-check without emitting
npm run clean        # Remove build artifacts
Testing with MCP Inspector
VESSELAPI_API_KEY=your-key npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector node dist/index.js

Data Sources & Attribution

Emissions and casualty data: © European Union. Source: European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA): THETIS-MRV (EU MRV, Regulation (EU) 2015/757) and the European Marine Casualty Information Platform (EMCIP). Reused under the European Commission reuse notice (Commission Decision 2011/833/EU), which authorises reuse for commercial and non-commercial purposes with acknowledgement of the source. Data may be transformed and combined; EMSA does not endorse this service.

License

MIT

Frequently asked questions

What is io.github.vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp?

MCP server for the VesselAPI: maritime vessel tracking, port events and emissions

How do I install io.github.vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp?

It runs on your machine. In Claude Code: claude mcp add vesselapi-mcp -- npx -y vesselapi-mcp@2.2.1. For other clients, paste the JSON configuration from this page into their MCP settings.

Does io.github.vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp need an API key?

Its registry entry lists no required key or secret. Some features may still need an account with the service it connects to.

Is io.github.vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp open source?

Yes. Its code is on GitHub under the MIT license.

Who maintains io.github.vessel-api/vesselapi-mcp?

It is published by vessel-api. AI.tn lists it but does not maintain or endorse it.

From the official MCP Registry. Listing is not an endorsement: review a server's code and permissions before giving it access to your data.