We get our data from a combination of commercial and government sources. For satellite and terrestrial vessel-tracking AIS data, we buy the data from commercial satellite operators Spire, ORBCOMM and exactEarth. We also receive VMS vessel tracking data directly from participating countries. We use satellite imagery that is produced by NASA, The Earth Observation group at NOAA and The European Space Agency (ESA) which is made available to us at cost and we buy commercial satellite imagery when needed from a number of commercial operators. Finally, we use automated tools to collect public vessel registration data from government and regulator websites worldwide.
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Where does the data come from?
Where does the data come from?FAQs
- What is AIS?
- What vessels are required to use AIS? What are global regulations and requirements for vessels to carry AIS?
- Does Global Fishing Watch track illegal activity? Has Global Fishing Watch ever identified illegal fishing activity?
- What is a carrier vessel?
- What are the different vessel tracking systems out there and how can they be used together?